Fragments - MoF & LoS
by GhedahrianVampress
Summary: A collection of (mostly) family-centered fanfics involving none other than the Belmont's and their tragic fate. (31 Day Writing Challenge)
1. Day 1 - Home

_Hello there! I have decided to attempt a 31 day writing challenge for the month of October, so I will be posting a Castlevania fanfic each and every day (If I can)! The first prompt I chose to go with was Home because that's one of the meanings of Trevor's name, and it intrigued me as to why Marie would give her son that name._

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\- Late October in the Year of our Lord 1046 -

Marie was exhausted. Her whole body was drenched with sweat, soaking her nightgown in the process. The bed she laid on was filthy, stained with her bodily fluids as well as her blood. After roughly twelve hours of gut-wrenching pain followed by an hour or so of pushing, she had successfully given birth. It had been terrifying, to say the least, a memory that would most likely scar her for the rest of her life. However, despite everything that had happened, she found that she was happy.

She had always been an optimist, focusing on the good things in life rather than the bad. While it was true that she was completely alone throughout the ordeal, unable to afford a midwife to help her, the fact remained that both her and her child were alive and well, a privilege that not all women were given. God had blessed her greatly in that way.

As she lay in her bed, leaned against the pillows that she had piled up against the headboard, she couldn't help but smile down at the baby in her arms. She had a son … Her and Gabriel had a son … After four years of marriage, they were finally given a child. Tears of joy trickled down her face, mixing with the beads of sweat. It almost seemed too good to be true, yet here he was.

If only she had known that she was pregnant before her husband left on his mission. Surely that would have given him the motivation to return before she gave birth. It pained her to think that he was not with her to share in this beautiful moment. There was no doubt in her mind that Gabriel would love their son just as much as she did. He would be an excellent father, doting on the boy with every ounce of love in his heart. She couldn't wait to see his reaction to the news.

"Welcome to the world, my son," Marie cooed at him as she gently stroked a finger across his chubby cheek.

She watched him sleep, examining every inch of him in awe. He was absolutely precious. The most beautiful little boy she had ever seen. His eyes were a brilliant bright blue, though she had heard that babies' eyes often changed with time. A part of her hoped that they wouldn't. She liked the idea of her son having blue eyes like his father. He had a full head of dark hair that already looked so beastly that it could only have come from Gabriel. It was hard to tell who he looked like, seeing as he was only a few minutes old, but for some reason, she saw mostly Gabriel in him. Though she had to admit that it looked like he had inherited her slightly thinner lips.

"One day you will grow into a brave warrior just like your father," she told him, giggling softly as he grasped onto her finger in his sleep.

She could already imagine the father and son fighting side by side, protecting mankind from monsters. It both frightened and delighted her at the same time. Her maternal instincts screamed at her for even considering the possibility of letting her son be put in danger, but her lifelong admiration for the Brotherhood made her feel pleased by the thought of her son fighting among their ranks.

"I suppose I should give you a name."

She hated the idea of naming their son without Gabriel, as she would have liked for him to choose the name, but she wasn't sure of when he would return. It could be days, weeks, or even a month. Gabriel had warned her that he might be gone for up to a year, but she stayed positive, believing in her heart that he would come home sooner than that.

Her and Gabriel had discussed possible names for children quite a few times over the last four years. They had come up with a few names that they liked for both boys and girls. Gabriel had favored the names Michael and James for a boy. As tempted as she was to name their son Michael in keeping with the angel name theme, there was a particular name that she had always liked.

Trevor ... It was an interesting name with two different meanings. The name was sometimes selected by parents who wanted their child to grow up to be prudent and ambitious, and while she did hope for that as well, she favored the second meaning more. The name also meant "home" or "homestead". Marie thought that meaning fit very well with her son's birth. For he would be a surprise for his father to come home to.

"Trevor Belmont…" she tested the name out to see how it sounded. She smiled. It was perfect. "My little Trevor."

With that settled, she carefully shifted herself over to the edge of the bed and pulled the crib right up beside it. The crib was a gift from one of Gabriel's fellow warriors, one of the men he had grown up training alongside. His father was a carpenter, and although he usually built things like doors and ceiling beams, the warrior had managed to convince him to step out of his comfort zone and try making a crib for once. Marie had to admit that he had done a good job. It was nothing fancy, but it was sturdy and safe, and that was all that mattered.

Placing a kiss on Trevor's brow, she placed him into the crib, making sure that he was swaddled securely in his blanket. The babe let out a tiny snore but seemed content aside from that.

"Sweet dreams, Trevor," she said as she slowly laid back down in bed, caring not for how filthy it was. She was too tired to care about that. All she wanted was to sleep. "Mama loves you."

Within minutes, she was fast asleep.


	2. Day 2 - Nightmare

_The Prompt I chose for day 2 is 'Nightmare'! I often have nightmares, and so I understand that dreams can be crazy and unexplainable. I thought it would be interesting to explore Alucard's dreams, and I thought about what he must have thought as he watched Carmilla trying to seduce his father. I don't know about you, but I would be grossed out._

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\- The Year 2103 -

Alucard hated Carmilla, plain and simple. She was a witch; a vile and repulsive woman who had been brought back by the castle to tempt his father to stay. Hidden from sight, he stood and watched as Carmilla sashayed towards him, an eerie mist surrounding her. Once a vampire, she seemed to have regained her human form as she was dressed in Brotherhood Robes.

"My lord," Carmilla knelt, bowing to the mighty vampire.

Dracul slowly approached, reaching out with one of his clawed hands to cup her face and pull it up so he could see her face. "Carmilla." After a moment, he pulled his hand away, his expression devoid of emotion. There was no anger, no hatred … nothing … "This must be a dream."

Carmilla smirked, rising to her full height. "And if you were never to wake again, would it matter?"

Alucard rolled his eyes. The witch was delusional. There was no other explanation. The vampire side of him roared to life, urging him to rip her throat out or something else just as gruesome, but he held himself back. Neither her nor his father knew he was there, and to reveal himself now would ruin all of the plans he had made. No, he could not afford to risk it. The survival of humankind was depending on his success.

"I destroyed you a long time ago," Dracul stated.

"But that wasn't you… all those years ago…" Carmilla stroked his cheek, inching closer and closer to him until she was mere inches away from his face.

Alucard expected his father to stop her, whether that be by pushing her away or ending her miserable life, he didn't care. But, much to his surprise, he didn't do either of those things. He felt his whole body stiffen as he watched his father lean into her, closing his eyes as she captured his lips in a passionate kiss. It was the same type of kiss that Sypha used to greet him when he came home from missions. The comparison made him feel ill. He silently chastised himself for even daring to compare this witch to his beloved Sypha.

Carmilla moaned with pleasure as the kiss intensified. While Dracul didn't seem to be enjoying it as much as her, the fact remained that he was letting her kiss him, and dare he admit it, it appeared that he was kissing her back. Before long the two broke apart, but only for a moment before they were back at it. This time, the witch's hands were all over him, pulling him up against her.

Had Alucard still been human he probably would have emptied his stomach by now. Alas, such was not the case. He almost wished he could, just so he could have the satisfaction of vomiting all over the two. What was his father thinking? Had he lost his mind? Had he forgotten all about Mother? Did he not love her anymore? One thing was for certain … He now wanted to rip both their throats out.

"I am yours now," Carmilla purred as Dracul started kissing her neck, his fangs grazing over the tender flesh.

"Yes, my wife …"

Just then, something strange happened. The scene before Alucard's eyes changed. What had once been the castle was now replaced with that of a church. His father's battle gear changed into a black tuxedo. Carmilla's robe turned into a beautiful white dress, and in her hand was a bouquet. The oddest part of it all was that somehow Zobek had appeared before them, dressed in a priest's robe.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of Gabriel Belmont and-" Zobek began to speak but was cut off.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Dracul interrupted. "Eu Sunt Dracul!"

Zobek rolled his eyes and started again. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of _Dracul_ and Carmilla Bernhard, which is an honorable estate, instituted by God himself …"

"Stop rambling and get to the important part, Zobek," Carmilla snapped.

Zobek glared at her but did as she asked. "If any have reason to object, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Alucard had enough by this point and tried to step forward to object, but found, much to his horror, that he was unable to move. It was as if his feet were frozen in place. And when he tried to voice his objection, he found that he couldn't speak either. He was merely a spectator, unable to do anything but watch.

After a brief period of silence, Zobek continued. "Dracul, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to her?"

Dracul simply nodded. "I do."

Zobek then turned to face Carmilla. "Carmilla, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love, obey and cherish him, in death and … well, in death, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to him?"

"I do."

"Then, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," Zobek declared. "You may kiss the bride."

Instead of kissing her, Dracul leaned into her neck and bit down, drinking her blood right then and there.

Alucard was just about to start screaming when the scene suddenly disappeared, giving way to blackness. He started to thrash about uncontrollably as he felt someone reach out and grab him by the shoulder.

"Alucard, wake up!"

Hearing that, his eyes shot open. It didn't take him long to realize that it had just been a dream … A nightmare to be more precise … He was back in his coffin, hidden away in the safety of the abandoned cathedral, his father gazing down at him with concern in his blood-red eyes. It filled Alucard with relief to see that his father was back in his battle gear. He never thought he'd be so happy to see it.

"Are you well, son?" his father asked. "I heard you screaming from the other side of the cathedral."

Alucard nodded his head, hoisting himself up into a sitting position. "I'm fine. I just had a nightmare."

Gabriel, or Dracul as he had preferred in the dream, raised a brow at that. "Care to share what it was about?" he asked. "Your mother claims that it helps to talk about the things that frighten us."

Alucard took a deep breath, even though it was unnecessary. "I dreamt that you got married to Carmilla … with Zobek as the priest."

The look on Gabriel's face when he heard that was priceless, scrunched up with a combination of disgust and horror. Alucard might have been tempted to laugh, had he not been so shaken by his dream.

"No wonder you were screaming," he heard his father mutter.

While he waited for his father to recover, Alucard took the opportunity to climb out from his coffin and stretch his arms and legs. He didn't exactly like sleeping in a coffin, preferring the comforts of a bed, but he had no other choice, seeing as there was no bed in the cathedral.

Gabriel startled his son when he grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around to face him. "I assure you that will never come true," he promised, looking him straight in the eyes. "Carmilla is dead, and even if she wasn't, there is no way in hell that I would marry her. The only woman I love, and will ever love, is your mother."

Alucard smiled, nodding his head in understanding. "I know that Father, but thank you for reassuring me anyway."


	3. Day 3 - Spirit

_Today's prompt is Sprit! I was originally going to write about Marie again for this one, but then I read somewhere that the Spirit of Belnades that helped Simon was actually Sypha. Not entirely sure if that's true, but the thought intrigued me regardless, and made me want to write a family reunion scene between them. Basically, I just wanted my Alucard to see his wife again. T.T_

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\- The Year of our Lord 1103

Sypha wasn't exactly sure how it happened … One moment she lay dying in the forest, surrounded by Lycans, and then she woke up as nothing more than a spirit, a bodiless soul, unable to talk and trapped in a frozen crystal shard kept in an underground cavern. For thirty years she was stuck in there, fully aware of everything that happened around her. She saw beasts and brotherhood soldiers alike pass her by, but none of them paid her any attention.

As you can imagine, thirty years left a lot of time for contemplation. By studying her surroundings, as well as the number of brotherhood warriors who passed by, she was able to conclude that she was somewhere within Dracula's domain. She still did not understand how or why, but as far as she could figure out, someone had stolen her soul and placed it inside the crystal.

She thought of her family … Trevor and Simon … Were they dead or alive? Had Trevor truly been killed, or had he too had his soul stolen? And what about Simon? Had he managed to escape from the Lycans and find safety? Was he still living? Did he have a wife and children of his own? Oh, how she wished that she knew the answers to these questions.

The years dragged on and Sypha had started to give up hope on ever being freed when a man unlike any she had seen before stumbled into her cavern. From the first moment she spotted him, she found there to be something oddly familiar about him, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on how she knew him. Everything about his appearance hinted that he was a warrior, though definitely not one belonging to the Brotherhood of Light.

He was a beefy man, tanned and covered in scars, with a head of shaggy red hair and a matching beard. It was hard to see his face with all the hair and scars, but she managed to get a decent look at him as he approached the crystal shard. His features were harsh, the sign of a difficult life. Though his eyes were a soft shade of brown, they were filled with anger and determination, making them look just as wild as the rest of his appearance.

Then she noticed the pendant hanging from his neck. It was then that she realized who he was. The revelation shocked her. Trevor had given their son an identical mirror pendant before he left, requesting that he always keep it with him. The man before her had to be none other than Simon, now at the age of thirty-six.

Before she could even fully comprehend the revelation, she felt the crystal shard being picked up. Simon held it in his hand for a moment, turning it this way and that as he examined it. Had she had a body with a heart, she was sure that it would have started beating rapidly. Would her son save her? Did he know that her soul was trapped inside?

Her answer came soon enough …

"Bah!" he exclaimed as he started to turn to leave, tossing the crystal shard over his shoulder as he did.

The shard broke into hundreds of tiny pieces as it collided against the hard cavern floor. With her prison broken, Sypha was finally able to escape! Her soul slowly rose from the shard ascending upward into a beam of light, but she stopped halfway and turned back to glance over at her son.

One by one monsters emerged, forming a circle around Simon. She had a hunch that her son could probably manage on his own, but the thought of one of the monsters sneaking up on him from behind and hurting him didn't sit well with her.

Just then, she heard a voice come from above.

_Go to your son. He will need your help with the mission he faces. I will be waiting to welcome you through heavens gates with open arms when you are ready._

She smiled up at the beam of light above her head, watching as it vanished into thin air. No sooner was it gone then she turned all of her attention towards her son, her determination to protect him just as strong as it was the moment she died.

By this point, both her son and the monsters surrounding him were staring at her. Quickly she flew to Simon, wrapping her spirit around him to protect him from enemy attacks as he made short work of defeating them one by one. She realized as she was protecting him that he had indeed grown into a skilled warrior, just like his father. It seemed to run in the Belmont's blood. Trevor would have been so proud.

Sypha remained at Simon's side as he continued on his journey into Dracula's castle. It pained her that she was unable to speak with him, or even reveal who she was. He didn't seem to recognize her, though she couldn't exactly blame him for that. It had been thirty years since he had seen her last. She had hardly recognized him herself.

Eventually, they made it to Dracula's lair, where the Prince of Darkness himself awaited them, seated on his dark throne.

"You fight well," Dracula complimented. "Worthy of the name Belmont."

She didn't know if the compliment was sincere or not. There was no way to tell when it came to the powerful vampire. He was dangerous and unpredictable, able to kill within a matter of minutes, or so she had heard. To think that this man was Trevor's father as well as Simon's Grandfather ... It was a terrifying thought.

Admittedly, this was the first time she had ever seen him in person. While he possessed the usual physical attributes of a high ranking vampire such as pale skin and glowing red eyes, she could tell that he still somewhat resembled his human self. She identified certain features that Trevor had inherited from him. The shaggy hair being the most obvious.

"I am Simon Belmont. I have come to avenge the death of my parents. I have come to destroy you."

"Tell me; how do you plan to do this, Simon Belmont?" Dracula chuckled, motioning to the combat cross in his hand. He without a doubt recognized it as his son's. "With that perhaps?"

Sypha gritted her teeth. The vampire was taunting her son, and she couldn't stand it. However, there was nothing she could do to stop it. She was nothing but a spirit. All she could do was block physical attacks, and she wasn't even sure if it would work against Dracula.

"That relic you carry with you holds no power over me, Young Belmont," Dracula continued. "Know this. Your father died by my hand. Will you suffer the same fate?"

Hearing this plunged Sypha into sadness. So, it was true … He admitted it himself … Trevor had died by his hand … If that was true, then what chance would Simon have against him?

Unfortunately, Simon refused to back down, ignoring the warning he had been given. He was still just as stubborn as when he was a boy.

Sensing his grandson's refusal, Dracula rose from his throne, his fist blazing with fire. "You cannot kill me. You will die in vain, just as your father did."

"We'll see about that now, won't we?"

Dracula started to move towards her son but stopped as the sound of the door being unlocked behind them echoed through the air. Everyone turned and waited to see who it was. To Simon and Sypha's surprise, the door opened to reveal none other than the mysterious white-haired who had helped them through the castle.

"Good of you to join us, Alucard," Dracula greeted him.

Alucard … The name struck Sypha as odd. Another thing that struck her as odd was the fact that Dracula seemed to know this man. The look on his face hinted that he had expected him to come.

Until that moment, neither her nor Simon had been able to get a decent look at him, as he kept to the shadows, but now, as he strode towards them with determined steps, his fists clenched at his side, they could see him as clear as day. He too was a vampire, like Dracula, the only difference being that his eyes were bright yellow. As she examined his scarred face, she couldn't help but feel as if she knew that face. It was the second time she had felt that way, and the first time it had ended up being her son … Who then was this?

"Father …" Alucard greeted Dracula, his voice dripping with bile.

That was when it hit her. Dracula had only ever fathered one child as far as she was aware. That child was Trevor. Could it be? No! A part of her didn't want to believe it. Yet, all the signs seemed to point to that conclusion. This vampire … Alucard … He was none other than her husband, Trevor Belmont.

"It's been a long time," Dracula smirked at his son.

"It seems fate has given me a second chance," Alucard stated. "I have come to finish what I started."

Sypha watched the father and son's exchange closely, noting how the smirk vanished from Dracula's face as he heard his son's refusal to join him. It was almost as if he was disappointed, which seemed odd for such a merciless killer. How could he possibly expect his son to join him after all the crimes he had committed against him?

"Look at me! You've made me a monster, father!" Alucard declared. "You've made me like you: a creature that thirsts for blood, filled with rage! You should have let me die that night!"

Had she still had a heart, it probably would have broken at that moment. The way her husband spoke of himself made her want to burst out crying. He truly hated what he had become.

"No matter," Dracula tore his gaze away from his son, refocusing it on that of Simon. His hand once more ignited in flames. "It all ends now!"

Alucard stepped in front of Simon to protect him. "Let him go. This is between me and you!"

Dracula shook his head. "He is a Belmont. I will not suffer that bloodline to live any longer!"

And with that, the battle began. Dracula tried to lunge at Simon, but Alucard stopped him, taking the hit himself as he wrestled him. Before long, Simon joined Alucard in fighting him. The two attacked him from both sides. He would grab one, trying to strangle him, only for the other to distract him, causing him to let go.

Sypha did her best to protect Simon, even though there were many moments she was tempted to rush over to her husband and aid him as well. When it came down to it, she chose to stay with Simon, knowing that he needed more protection than her husband did. Trevor, or Alucard as he now went by, was a vampire and was not so easily killed in comparison to their son.

It was a tough battle, but in the end, Dracula was slain. With Alucard holding Dracula firmly in place, Simon was able to deliver the fatal blow, driving the combat cross into his heart. The Prince of Darkness vanished into a blinding ray of red light. The combat cross collapsed to the stone floor. Sypha smiled at her two boys. Together they had completed their task.

"This is not how a vampire is supposed to die …" Alucard muttered as he stared at the spot his father had been slain.

Both Sypha and Simon were alarmed by this.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked.

Alucard failed to reply as he appeared to be deep in thought.

Just then, the lost soul, a specter like creature who had helped guide them through their mission, appeared before them, holding his hand out towards Simon. Neither her nor Simon knew what he wanted, at least not until Alucard explained.

"He wants the pendant you are wearing."

"Not a chance!" Simon refused. "It was a gift from my father. It's all I have of him."

"Your father gave you that without knowing it's true power. As long as you wear it, you won't be able to decide or act entirely for yourself. Your actions will be guided … manipulated. Do you think you are here entirely of your own free will?"

Simon was clearly conflicted. In his mind, it was all he had left of his beloved father. Even though he was a grown man, there was a part of him that hadn't changed since he was six years old. He still loved his father, or rather the memory he had of him.

"Let it go. It doesn't belong to you," Alucard told him. "Just as it did not belong to your father."

After a moment's hesitation, Simon pulled the pendant from his neck, reluctantly dropping it into the lost soul's hand. The lost soul vanished with it not a moment later. Free from the pendant's control, he turned back to face the white-haired vampire.

"Will you tell me who you are now?"

Sypha held her breath, or rather she would have if she had the breath to hold, as she watched and waited to see what her husband would do. He kept his back to them at first, but slowly he turned and drawing closer, raised a hand to cup Simon's cheek. He said nothing, simply staring into his brown eyes, which Sypha noticed no longer held the burning anger she had seen earlier. If anything they looked lost, as did her husband's.

A moment later, Alucard swiftly retracted his hand, turning and retracing his steps out of the throne room.

Sypha knew that her time with her family had almost come to an end. She had fulfilled her task of protecting Simon. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be all right now. However, she wasn't ready to leave quite yet … Not until she at least got the chance to say goodbye to her husband. She silently prayed to God, begging him to grant her this one last wish.

_Go to him and speak your final words. I will return your voice to you, but only while you are with him._

Thanking him, she left Simon's side, stopping for only a moment to wave to him before she rushed out of the throne room as well.

It didn't take her long to catch up with him in her spirit form, seeing as she could pass through walls and objects as she pleased. Once she was close enough to him, she felt her voice return to her, just as God had promised. She might be unable to touch him, but at least she could speak to him.

"Trevor, wait," she called to him.

At the sound of his name, his human name, he stopped dead in his tracks. "I know that voice …" his voice sounded shaky, "but it cannot be. Its owner is dead."

"Turn and see for yourself."

Slowly he turned to face her, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of her, bloody tears beginning to form. "S-Sypha? Is that really you?"

She nodded her head, floating closer to him. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and caress his face, kissing his lips and wiping away his tears, but she could not.

"What happened to you?" he asked. "Why is your soul still on this earth."

"My soul was stolen by one of Dracula's minions and imprisoned in a crystal shard for many years. Thankfully Simon came along and freed me. I have been watching over him ever since."

"Simon told me of your death … I am sorry I was not there to protect you."

"None of this is your fault, Trevor," she assured him. "There was no way you could have known how the future would unfold. You left to try and save us, and you've done nothing but protect our boy since he arrived here. You have done what any good father would do."

He hung his head in shame, his face hiding behind his long white hair. "I am not the same man I once was, Sypha. Trevor Belmont is dead, and in his place now stands the vampire, Alucard."

"That is not true. You are still the man I fell in love with, even if you are a vampire now," she insisted. "There is still goodness in your heart, and there always will be so long as you continue to love."

He started to raise his head back up, a sign that she was getting through to him.

_It is time._

A blinding light enveloped her again as she started to ascend. Her time was running out, and she was ready to go. She smiled at her husband. Her work here on earth was completed. She felt at peace, assured that both her son and husband would be alright without her.

"I love you, Trevor Belmont. Never forget that," she said. "Remember that I am waiting for you in heaven."

Then she was gone, leaving Alucard there by himself. Though the tears threatened to surface again, he fought them back, a sad smile tugging at his lips.

"I won't forget …"


	4. Day 4 - Innocence

_The fourth prompt is innocence, and the first character that came to mind was Claudia. I personally loved Claudia and a piece of my heart broke when she died. Anyway, I wanted to write a short little fic about her and Gabriel talking so here we are._

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\- The Year of our Lord 1047 -

The last thing Gabriel expected to encounter in the Lycan infested ruins of Agharta was an innocent young girl, let alone one who wished to join him on his quest. He didn't know how to feel about that. It wasn't that he thought her weak or incapable of taking care of herself. The fact that she had survived in such a dangerous place was a testament against that.

Having grown up in the care of the Brotherhood of Light, he had been taught to respect and protect women. As a knight, he instinctively felt protective of this girl. His only fear was that by bringing her along with him, he would be distracted from his quest. He didn't want to risk failing in his mission, yet he could not exactly deny the girl's request either. It was the least he could do after she saved him from the hands of her Black Knight protector.

Eventually, after some pleading as well as reasoning on the girl's part, he relented and let her join him, along with her protector. Though he couldn't say that the fifteen-foot-tall knight's presence was reassuring in the slightest. Gabriel got the impression that the knight was watching his every movement for some strange reason. The Black Knight clearly didn't trust him, and the feeling was mutual.

The girl, whose name was Claudia, led him through the ruins of Agharta, speaking little as they walked. Gabriel didn't know where they were going, or what they were looking for, but he followed her regardless, trusting that she knew where to go. He didn't usually trust people so easily, especially not without getting to know them first, but there was something about this girl that made him trust her right from the start. It was odd.

"_Tell me, what is this wife of yours like?"_ Claudia asked telepathically. "_She must have been a wonderful woman if you are so desperate to bring her back from the dead."_

A small smile tugged at Gabriel's lips as thoughts of his beloved filled his mind. "Marie is the most incredible woman I have ever met. Her kindness and compassion know no boundaries. She even manages to feel pity towards the beasts that plague this earth. I have often thought myself undeserving of someone such as her."

Claudia smiled sadly at the ground. "_She is fortunate. It is clear that you love her deeply. I have often wondered what it feels like to be loved so."_

"I suppose you have never been given the chance to fall in love for yourself."

She shook her head, picking her head back up again, all trace of sorrow vanishing from her face. "_Yes, but it's all right. I was far too young to think of such things back when my people were still alive."_

He couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her. This young girl was the last of her kind. Her entire race having been wiped out who knows how long ago by the Lords of Shadow. She was on her own, without friends or family. Gabriel certainly knew how that felt.

"How long have you been on your own?" he asked.

Claudia stopped for a moment to consider it. "_A hundred years or so … I haven't really kept track."_

Gabriel's eyes widened. "You're a lot older than you look."

Claudia giggled softly. "_The lifespan of the Aghartians is much longer than that of ordinary humans. We can live up to a thousand years before we die of old age."_

"Remarkable," Gabriel muttered, "but doesn't it get tiresome living that long, especially when you're all alone?"

Claudia nodded. "_It is not a fate I would wish on anyone, but I try to make the best of the life I have been given,"_ she explained. "_Besides, I am not entirely alone. I have my Black Knight protector, and now you are here too."_

Gabriel smiled at her. Despite everything that had happened to this girl, she still possessed the heart of a child, filled with pure untainted innocence. She was still able to remain positive in such bleak circumstances. He had always admired such traits in children. If only him and Marie had been able to have children of their own before she died …


	5. Day 5 - Father

\- The Year of our Lord 1073 -

"But in the end … I pity you … Father …"

Dracul's brows furrowed in confusion as he stood before the man dying at his feet. The young warrior had started spurting out words that had taken him by surprise. He started talking about fate, and how he had fought against his, speaking of the vampire's fate as if he knew it. However, what confused Dracul the most was that last sentence. Not the fact that the young warrior pitied him, though that did surprise him as well. No, it was the word he had called him.

"Father?" Dracul echoed.

Why had the young warrior called him such? Perhaps he had been mistaken. Perhaps these words were just the rambling of a dying man … Perhaps he was speaking to his own father in heaven? Surely the man could not be addressing him. He was not a father. He had never sired any children.

The man reached out an arm, pointing to something behind him.

Dracul's gaze followed to where the man pointed and saw that he was pointing to the Mirror of Fate, which glowed with an intensity that he had never seen before. In it, he briefly saw an image of what he assumed to be the young warrior when he was a boy. Part of him was surprised to be seeing anything. He knew that the mirror was magical. However, it had never shown him anything like this.

"What is this?" He asked, turning back to the man. The young man remained silent as if trying to preserve his last breath.

After a few moments, Dracul gave up and approached the mirror. What he saw this time was a very different scene though. Images of his beloved Marie flashed before his eyes, starting with the moment she stood by the front door of their cottage, waving goodbye to his human self as he left on his year-long mission.

"Marie," he said, a rare smile creeping upon his face as the mirror closed in on her.

However, something caught his eye just then … Something that had escaped his notice when the scene actually occurred. One of her hands lay across her belly as she rubbed it gently. As he thought back on it, he recalled that it was something she had done on more than one occasion during the days prior to his departure. She had claimed that she felt ill, and he recalled how he had been reluctant to leave her because of that.

The next scene caused every fiber of his body to stiffen. His eyes widened in shock. In this image he saw his wife sitting by the fireplace, her belly swollen. She was pregnant! The images he saw began to come more and more quickly after that. Fortunately for him, he was able to keep up with his vampiric vision.

He watched as her pregnancy progressed. He watched as she laid in bed late at night, talking to their unborn child, telling it of how its father would return soon. Though his heart was dead, Dracul swore he felt a stab of pain within his chest at that moment.

The images slowed down once more as it showed her giving birth. She was all alone, without even a hand to hold, but she managed to pull through. A single bloody tear trickled down his face as he watched his wife cuddle the baby to her chest, kissing its head. "Welcome to the world, my son," she cooed.

Before he could even begin to process what he had just seen, the scene changed one last time, showing Marie reclined once more in bed, surrounded by Pan and the Elders of the Brotherhood, their son fast asleep in his crib. Dracul gritted his teeth at the mere sight of the Elders of his former Order. Somehow he knew what was happening before they even said a word.

Marie handed a small piece of mirror back to Pan, which Dracul recognized as a piece of the mirror he was currently looking into. Her expression was sad as if she was about to break out crying at any given moment. Pan then gave the small piece of mirror to their son, placing it in the crib beside him.

"You have seen it, Marie," Cardinal Volpe spoke. "The mirror has shown you Gabriel's fate.

There had once been a time when he had considered Volpe to be a father figure to him, the only father figure he had ever had. He had trained hard to make him proud … Needless to say, those days were long gone.

"You must protect the child from his father."

Dracul failed to hear anything else after that, as he was filled with rage towards the brotherhood. Up until that moment, their only crimes against him had been deception and abandonment, but now … Now he found that they had stolen his son from him, stealing him from the hands of his wife as he saw in the mirror.

"Damn you!" he cursed the brotherhood. "Why?!"

It was only then that he remembered the young warrior who lay dying behind him. The realization hit him hard. That young warrior was his son! He had slain his own son! Without delay he rushed to him, kneeling beside him and holding his body in his arms.

"No!"

His son's eyes were still open, but just barely as they were slowly closing. Dracul noted that they were blue, like his had once been, but was unable to focus on them as he realized that his son's life was fading fast. His heartbeat was shallow, and his breathing stopped. He had but a few minutes left.

Desperate to save him, Dracula began to act fast. Pulling the combat cross from his son's chest, he then plunged his fangs into his wrist, causing his immortal lifeblood to flow out. Without thinking of whether his son would want this or not, he placed his wrist directly above his son's open mouth, watching as his blood dripped into it.

"Live … my son," he pleaded.

Then he waited … and waited … He watched his son closely, hoping for even the slightest sign of movement to prove it was working, but his son remained as limp and lifeless as a corpse. It was too late. His son was dead.

As that thought sunk in, Dracul couldn't contain his sorrow and burst out into tears, sobbing hysterically as he buried his face into the soft material of his son's shirt. He had just killed his own son … The son he had dreamed of having for many years as a human … The son that Marie had borne him while he was off defeating the daemon lord … What a horrible father he was … Fate truly was cruel, just as his son had said.

After a while, his tears ceased, and he stood, still holding his dead son in his arms. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that there was nothing he could do to bring his son back to life, just as there was nothing he could do to bring his wife back to life either. The least he could do was give his son a proper burial and avenge his death by destroying the people who had sent him to his death. If he could have, he would have gladly destroyed himself for killing his son, but he could not. Something that he had discovered for himself many years ago.

He was unable to die … yet unable to live ...


	6. Day 6 - Reckless

\- The Year of our Lord 1104 -

It was another sunny day in Rosewood Village as Simon emerged from the inn, letting out a loud yawn as he soaked up the sun's warm rays. This village had been his home for a little less than a year now, and he had made a bit of a life for himself since. He worked as a hunter, selling the meat and furs to the inn in exchange for free room and board. The job suited Simon, and he enjoyed it well enough.

The village was peaceful, to say the least. A bit too peaceful for his taste, but he was slowly growing accustomed to it. At times he thought about returning to visit the people of White Mountain who had taken him in after his parent's death, but he could never bring himself to go. As much as he appreciated what they did for him, the place was not his true home. It never had been. His true home had been destroyed by Dracula's Legions.

With a few hours to spare before he had to head into the forest and begin his workday, he started on his way to a special spot of his. Behind the local church was a field of flowers. Women and children often came to pick the flowers, making bouquets and flower-crowns out of them. However, the place held a different meaning to him. It was the place where he had first met his lady love, Selena.

Selena was the daughter of one of the village elders and was by far the most beautiful woman in the whole village. At least, he thought so. She was twenty-seven years old, a whole ten years younger than him, and had been married once before, though only briefly as her husband had died about a month later. She had remained unmarried since. Most of the men of the village believed her to be cursed and were too frightened to even consider marrying her. They were all a bunch of cowards in Simon's opinion.

When he got there, he found his beautiful Selena kneeling amongst the flowers. Seeing that she was alone in the field, he approached her, watching silently for a moment as she picked flowers, placing them into the basket that sat beside her.

"Good morning, Selena," he greeted her.

Selena jumped, dropping the flowers in her hand. After a moment, she glanced up at him, revealing the tears flowing from her hazel-green eyes. "G-Good morning, Simon," she greeted him back, managing to force a tiny smile.

His heart skipped a beat at the sight. "Selena, what's wrong?" he asked. "Why are you crying?"

Selena did not reply at first, as she tried to hold back her tears, but the tears just kept coming and coming. Finally, she got to her feet and turned to face Simon fully. "I-I'm scared…" she sobbed.

He was not particularly good at comforting people, especially a crying maiden, but he did the best he could, trying to recall how his mother and father used to comfort him as a boy. It had been a long time, but he remembered feeling comforted by a simple hug.

Not knowing what else to do, he reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, trying his best to be mindful of his strength so as not to squish her. "Why are you scared?" he asked. "You know you have nothing to fear with me around."

He kept her in his embrace until he heard her sobs stop and her breathing returned to normal. Only then, did he step back, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes with his calloused fingers.

"I think I'm … Pregnant …"

Simon felt himself stiffen. To say that it was unexpected was an understatement. He had thought that someone was harassing her again. He was even ready to go beat up whoever it was, but this … His brain wasn't even able to fully comprehend it at the moment.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded her head. "All the signs point to it."

Perhaps it was just his imagination, or perhaps it was just because she had just told him she was pregnant, but he thought he noticed something a bit different about her. Her face seemed to be glowing. It was only after he noticed this, that his brain started to function properly again. Everything about the situation began to sink in.

Selena was pregnant. That meant he was going to be a father. The idea seemed daunting to him, but that was the least of his concerns. He finally understood why she was scared. The two of them were not married. He had gotten her pregnant out of wedlock. This would only ruin her reputation even more. He felt like punching himself for getting her into this mess.

"Have you told anyone else?" he asked.

"Only my parents, who are … displeased, to say the least …"

Simon cringed. He could imagine just how happy her parents were. Her mother never did like him that much, to begin with. He had a fairly civil relationship with her father, but that was most likely gone now.

"I have to know … Do you plan to abandon me now?" she asked hesitantly. "My mother told me you would leave me once I told you."

Instead of answering, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her with every ounce of passion in his body.

Selena let out a startled yelp but soon melted in his arms, returning the kiss.

Simon couldn't believe that she thought he would abandon her. Only her mother would think to tell her something like that. He may have grown up in the care of mountain people and possess the manners of a wild beast at times, but that didn't mean he _was_ a wild beast. Underneath it all, he was just a boy who had lost his family at a young age, and the more he thought about it, the more he grew to like the idea of starting a family with Selena.

Pulling away, he looked her directly in the eye, wanting her to know just how serious he was.

"I have always been a reckless man. Even as a child, I would act without stopping to think of the consequences," he explained. "However, I am not a coward like the men of this village. I will take responsibility for my actions. I will not allow you to suffer the consequences of my recklessness alone."

He could see the hope sparkling in her eyes. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

He nodded his head. "I've wanted to make you my wife for a while now, even before you told me you were with child. I love you, Selena. You're the only woman that's ever managed to worm her way into my heart, and I do not want to be separated from you … ever …"

She grinned from ear to ear. "I love you too, Simon Belmont."

Overwhelmed with love and happiness, he swept her off her feet, carrying her in his big, strong arms. "Then let us go get married right now," he suggested, starting towards the church.

Selena giggled at his romantic gesture. "Shouldn't you at least ask my father first?" she reminded him.

He stopped for a moment, realizing that what she said was true. "Like I said … I'm reckless," he said with a slight chuckle.

She shook her head at him. "Well, you better go ask him before you get into even more trouble."

"As you wish."

And with that, he changed his route, heading straight towards the elder's home, still carrying Selena in his arms, grinning like an idiot as he went.


	7. Day 7 - Smile

\- The Year 2103 -

Life had been peaceful ever since the defeat of Satan, not just for mankind, but for the vampire father and son duo as well. Retreating from the rising sun, they had taken up residence in the old cathedral. Slowly it was becoming more and more of a home to the two. Dracul had managed to enlist the help of some of his servants, the ones who remained loyal to him, to help renovate the place.

One of the first rooms to be renovated was the chapel itself, which was turned into a huge living room, the room they were currently in. Seated across from each other, Alucard sitting on one end of the couch with a book in hand, While Dracul sat in a large red armchair, pressing random buttons on the remote as he tried to get the TV to work.

Dracul, who had defeated all three of the Lords of Shadow, saved the world from Satan not once but twice and was known throughout the world as the Prince of Darkness, was utterly clueless when it came to technology. He hadn't even known what the thing was when the servants brought it in. As you can imagine, a thousand years of isolation from the world could do that to a person.

Dracul gritted his teeth. "Alucard, how do you turn this thing on?" he asked. "I've pressed every button there is."

With a sigh, Alucard shut his book, marking the page he was on before reaching over for the remote. Aiming the remote at the TV, he pressed the top round button, the one button he had ignored. Within seconds the TV flickered on.

His father just sat there for the first few minutes, gaping at it as if he had grown a second head.

Seeing the funny expression on his father's face, he couldn't help but laugh. He was so hopeless when it came to technology that it was funny. "Honestly, it's not that difficult," Alucard stated, setting the remote down on the coffee table between them.

Dracul glared at him at first, but his gaze quickly softened at the sound of his son's laughter, a smile tugging at his pale lips.

The two fell back into silence as Alucard picked up his book again, Dracul focusing his attention on the TV screen. However, Alucard found that he was unable to focus on his book now, not because of the noise coming from the TV, but because of a thought that entered his head.

It occurred to him that his father smiled a lot more than he used to. A thousand years or so ago, the closest to a smile he had ever seen on his father's face was a rather evil looking smirk that emerged when he was torturing his victims. He could still vaguely remember seeing it as his father had plunged his own combat cross into his chest. Quickly he shook that memory from his mind. That had happened a long time ago, and he didn't need to be remembering it now.

The first real smile he recalled seeing on his father's face was when he had projected an illusion of his younger self, sending him to help Dracul find the Void Sword and Chaos Power. The once terrifying older vampire had smiled at that boy on more than one occasion throughout the whole ordeal. Alucard could tell that he genuinely cared for the boy, and seeing his father's soft side, he had come to care about him as well.

However, he had started to fear that his father cared only for the younger version of himself. After all, it was easy to love an innocent-looking child. It wasn't as easy to love a fully grown man, especially one who had tried to kill you not once but twice. At least, that was what Alucard thought. He had feared that his father would be disappointed when he remembered everything.

He remembered the nervousness he felt as he removed his helmet, revealing himself to his father. But then Dracul smiled at him, not at the younger version of himself, but at his true self. Despite everything that had happened, his father had smiled at him, filled with visible joy at the sight of him. Every ounce of hatred that remained towards his father vanished at that moment.

For the first time in his life, he could truthfully say that he loved his father. His only regret was that it had taken this long to do so.

"Why are you smiling at me so?" Dracul asked, snapping him from his train of thoughts.

It seemed that Alucard had started smiling at his father without even fully knowing that he was doing so.

He merely shrugged, "I guess I'm just happy to have you here with me."

At that, Dracul smiled back at him widely. "As am I, my son."


	8. Day 8 - Gift

\- The Year 2103 -

The castle that had stood for over a thousand years, serving as Dracul's home, as well as the prison of his enemies, was now in ruins. Without Dracul's presence, it had crumbled into a pile of rubble. Free from the castle's influence a few of his previous servants had returned to his service, not knowing what else to do with their lives.

Though the castle was destroyed, some of the underground chambers remained, serving as hideouts for his remaining servants. Navigating through the winding tunnels, Dracul searched for the hideout of one servant in particular. Under normal circumstances, he had no trouble finding who he was looking for, but it would appear that this servant of his did not want to be found.

He had tried asking some of the other servants. The Gorgon Sisters were the first he had gone to, seeing as they seemed to know where everyone and everything was, but even they did not know of his whereabouts. No one knew where he was. So, with little choice, Dracul went in search of him.

His search led him down to the very depths of the tunnel, the place where once the prisoners of Walter Bernhard had endured torture unlike anything ever imagined. Eventually, he came across a chamber glowing with light. Pushing the door open, he found the toymaker seated on a wooden stool, polishing the wood of his favorite puppet. It was the very same puppet that had hidden the toymaker's heart for many years.

The toymaker was so focused on the puppet that he didn't even hear Dracul come in. That soon changed as Dracul cleared his throat, alerting the elderly man of his presence.

"Oh! M-My lord!" The toymaker exclaimed in surprise, his wrinkled eyes widening at the sight of the vampire as he slowly got up from his stool. "T-To what d-do I owe this p-pleasure?"

Dracul sighed. Out of all the servants, the toymaker was probably most frightened by him. You could tell that he feared him, even now that he was no longer lord of the castle, he still referred to him as such.

"I require your services, old man," Dracul stated.

"A-And what is it you want, may I inquire?" the toymaker asked, his hands shaking as he reached up to adjust his spectacles. "I-I should warn you now that I have retired from my days of creating death traps and bringing beasts back to life."

Dracul shook his head. "No, that is not why I have come."

"Have you come to k-kill me then?" the toymaker gulped.

"I have not come to kill you either," he assured the frightened old man. "I need you to create something for me, as a gift for my son."

Once the toymaker calmed down a bit, assured that he would not die at Dracul's hand, he started to approach him, a look of curiosity written across his face.

"Oh? Well, I can certainly manage that. What is the occasion? If my mind is not mistaken, the closest holiday is Halloween, and that isn't exactly a day to give presents."

To most people, October 24th was just another day, overlooked by the upcoming holiday, but to Dracul, it marked a far greater event …

"It is for his birthday, which is in only a few short days."

As horrible as it was to think about, this would be the first time Dracul was present to celebrate the day with him, having missed all the others, including his actual day of birth. He wanted to do something special for his boy to make up for all the birthdays he had missed.

The toymaker nodded his head in understanding. "Did you have anything in mind that you would like to give him?"

Dracul lowered his head slightly in shame. "That is part of the problem. I haven't the slightest clue what he would want," he explained. "I have had such a short amount of time to get to know him. I fear that I shall never know him like a proper father ought to."

"You love him, don't you?"

Dracul looked down at the elderly man in confusion. What kind of question was that? "Of course I love him. He is my one and only son. I would do anything to make him happy."

The toymaker smiled with satisfaction, pleased with the answer he had received. "Then allow me to give you a piece of advice," he said. "Rather than having me make him something, you should give him something personal … Something from the heart … The size of a gift does not matter, but rather it is the memories contained in the item that matters most."

Dracul considered the old man's words. He had to admit that the old man was wise. It was good advice. However, what could he possibly give his son that would mean something to him? To get an understanding of what he may like, he tried to put himself in his son's shoes.

It didn't take him long to realize that his son's early years must have been a lot like his own. Raised as an orphan, whose parents were presumed to be dead, Dracul had often felt alone, wondering what his parents were like and what had truly happened to them. He imagined that his son must have wondered the same things as a child.

That was when it hit him! Dracul had very few possessions dating back to his human life, seeing as he didn't have many possessions in general at the time. However, there was one trinket in particular that he had retrieved before embarking on his quest to defeat the Lords of Shadow. For the last thousand years, it had served as a memento of his beloved …

A part of him didn't want to part with it, but at the same time, he thought it to be a perfect gift for his son. It was the kind of gift that the toymaker had described. After a few moments of contemplation, he made up his mind. If this gift would bring happiness to his son, then it was more than worth it. Besides, Alucard would take good care of it. Of that, he had no doubt.

"You have been of help," Dracul complimented the elderly toymaker. "Your words are wise. I shall take your advice."

The toymaker merely bowed in reply.

Dracul turned and started to leave, but stopped as he reached the door. "I have heard that many families lost their homes as a result of the attacks on the city. My son claims that there are many parents with children who remain in the underground camp. I'm sure they would appreciate some toys."

Dracul could not see the old man's face, but he was sure there was a big smile on it.

"Thank you, my lord. I shall get to work on that right away."

Then Dracul was gone.

* * *

A few days later, Alucard awoke to find a note left on the ledge of his stone coffin. Letting out a small yawn, he sat up and examined the note's contents, immediately recognizing his father's handwriting. It read;

'_Alucard,_

_Come find me in the library when you wake up. I have something for you.'_

Alucard couldn't deny that he was left curious by the strange note. What was his father up to? What could his father possibly have to give to him? Usually, his father came to speak with him in person. The fact that his father had left a note requesting that Alucard come to him was quite odd. He puzzled over it for a moment, but shrugged it off, unable to come up with any ideas.

Without delay, he climbed out of his coffin and quickly dressed, donning a green button-down shirt and a pair of simple black trousers before leaving his room. Stopping for a moment to see if he could sense his father's presence, he realized that Dracul was indeed in the library just as the note said, and much to his surprise, he wasn't alone. He could both sense and smell many of his servants in there as well.

He debated over whether he should wait for the servants to leave before going to see his father but in the end decided to go anyway, figuring that they would leave shortly after he arrived anyway.

The soft patter of bare feet against the cold stone floor filled the otherwise silent hall as he made his way to the very end of it. The cathedral itself wasn't that big, especially not when compared to the former castle, but it was big enough for the two of them. Though, it would probably get bigger before his father was finished. In addition to the renovations being done, his father had also mentioned the possibility of adding onto the building, giving both of them bigger bedrooms.

Pulling open the door, he was surprised to find all of the servants standing there waiting for him. "Happy Birthday!" They shouted all together.

Alucard froze in shock. To say that he hadn't been expecting this was an understatement. He hadn't celebrated his birthday in centuries. He hadn't even fully realized it was his birthday until that moment. Clearly, his father had remembered. The library was heavily decorated with balloons scattered about and streamers dangling from the bookcases. There was even a punch bowl filled with monster blood.

He was speechless … absolutely speechless … He had seen humans throw birthday parties like this for their loved ones, mostly younger children, but he had never had one thrown for him before. A part of him thought it strange to throw a birthday party for a vampire who had lived for over a thousand years, but at the same time, it felt nice. It made him feel a bit less like a vampire and a bit more human, minus the punch bowl filled with blood.

Eventually, he managed to stagger forward, looking around in awe. The servants smiled at him as his eyes passed over them, however, there was one face in particular that he was looking for.

Just then, the servants parted, revealing Dracul behind them. Crossing the distance between them, Alucard went to meet his father.

"Happy birthday, son," he said, a smile spreading across his face as he held out a small neatly-wrapped box. "I hope you like it."

Raising a brow at his father, Alucard took the box and carefully unwrapped it, pulling the lid of the box off. Inside was a dainty silver pendant with a flower detailed on the front. He was initially confused as to why his father would give him such a gift, but then he flipped it over and the significance of the gift dawned on him. Engraved on the back of the pendant were two names … Gabriel and Marie …

"This pendant belonged to mother," he stated.

Dracul nodded his head, motioning for the servants to leave. It was only after every last one of them was gone from the room that the elder vampire spoke again.

"When I was but nineteen years old, I saved up what money I had and purchased this as a gift for your mother, to show her just how much she meant to me," he explained. "I have kept it to remember her by all these years, but now I want you to have it, as I realize that you got even less time with her than I did."

Alucard didn't know what to say in reply to that. He felt happy … happier than he had felt in a long time … He had always wished he had something to remember his mother by, to remind him that she really had existed and wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Not only did the pendant prove his mother's existence, but it also proved that his father did love him, even if he wasn't always the best at showing it.

Knowing that no one else was in the room to see, Alucard reached out and wrapped his arms around his father, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, father," he said. "I love it."

"I'm glad," Dracul replied, returning the hug.


	9. Day 9 - Son (AU)

_So, today's story is something of an AU. I wanted to write in an alternate world where Gabriel gets to live happily with his wife and son, so that's exactly what I did. The fact that he didn't even get to hold his baby makes me sad... Poor guy..._

* * *

\- The Year of our Lord 1046 -

It was late at night when the cottage finally came into view. _Thank God,_ Gabriel thought. After almost nine months of being away from home, it was good to be back. He was particularly looking forward to sleeping in a soft bed for once. As you can imagine, sleeping on the ground tended to make a person feel stiff and sore.

He honestly didn't know how he had survived being away from his Marie for so long. Heaven knew he missed her. As usual, the other men had teased him about it. Apparently, he had said her name in his sleep a few times. You would think that they'd get over teasing him. The two of them had been married for four years. Gabriel suspected that they'd be teasing him until he was a grey-haired old man.

Riding up to the cottage, Gabriel noticed that it was dark inside, signaling that Marie was probably sound asleep and hadn't noticed him yet. He smiled to himself as he dismounted and tied his horse up. This would be a pleasant surprise for her. To be honest, it was kind of a surprise to him as well. He hadn't expected to finish up his mission so quickly.

As quietly as he could, he crept into the house, pulling his boots off and removing his belt before crossing the cottage towards the bed. It was dark, so he couldn't see much, but as he got closer he saw the peaceful sleeping form of his beloved wife. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he couldn't help but marvel at her for a moment. Even after four years of marriage, he still couldn't believe that she was his. It was like a dream … a wonderful dream that he never wanted to wake from.

Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He was about to get up and change for bed himself when he noticed his wife begin to stir. Slowly her eyes fluttered open, finding their way to his, widening as they did.

"Gabriel? Is that you?"

He nodded, stroking a hand across her cheek. "Forgive me for waking you. I just returned."

Without hesitation, Marie flung herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, my love," he hugged her back, nuzzling into her silky hair.

As he held her close, something struck him as odd. She felt different to him. Her waist seemed a bit curvier than he remembered. He couldn't see her form clearly in the dark, and he didn't want to seem rude if she had gained a bit of weight while he was gone. He knew better than to talk about a woman's weight. So, he chose to ignore it and just focus on her and how much he had missed her.

Before long, his lips found their way to hers, kissing them tenderly. Letting out a soft moan, Marie wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him. He was just about to push her back onto the bed and show her just how much he had missed her when he was interrupted by the sudden sound of crying echoing through the house.

"That sounds like a crying baby," Gabriel observed, pulling away from Marie as he glanced about the darkened house.

"It is a crying baby … your son," Marie replied.

Gabriel's eyes returned to her in an instant. "M-My … Son?"

Marie nodded her head, moving to get up, she reached over to the bedside table, lighting a candle, filling the room with a warm orange glow. His eyes followed her as she walked past him over to a crib in the corner of the room. Leaning over it, he watched as she lifted a tiny baby wrapped tightly in a blanket. Taking a moment to silence his cries, she then returned to sit down on the bed next to him.

"What? How?" Gabriel asked in bewilderment.

Marie smiled down at the baby before smiling up at him. "I discovered that I was pregnant shortly after you left. I tried approaching the brotherhood to see if I could get a message to you somehow, but they said it was too dangerous to attempt it. I just gave birth two days ago."

Gabriel could hardly believe his ears. Marie had given birth to a son while he was gone … And he hadn't even been home to comfort her through the process … If he had only known … No, if he had known, he probably would have come straight home without having defeated the daemon lord. When it came to matters concerning Marie, everything else took second priority. Nothing else mattered if she was in danger.

"M-May I hold him?" he asked.

For some reason, he felt nervous, which was rather strange to think. He had defeated the daemon lord without hesitation, yet he was nervous at the thought of holding his own son. Every possible fear entered his mind at that moment. What if he dropped the boy, or accidentally squished him with his strong grip? What if his son hated him and started crying again?

Marie nodded. "Of course you can."

Carefully placing the boy into his father's arms, she showed him how to properly hold him, arranging his arms to properly support their son's body.

Gabriel was astonished by how calm the child was throughout it all. The boy just settled into his arms without making a sound. He had only seen a few babies in his life and they were usually screaming their heads off, but not this one. This one just laid in his arms, staring up at him with big blue eyes.

He couldn't help but stare at the child in awe … His son … He had a son. The feeling that came with those simple words was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He was overwhelmed with pride and joy. The fact that this tiny miracle was his brought tears to his eyes. He was absolutely perfect. Him and Marie had created the perfect child.

"Does he have a name?"

"I had hoped to let you name him, but I didn't know how long you would be gone so I named him myself. His name is Trevor. I hope you don't mind."

Gabriel shook his head. He didn't mind at all. "It's a good name." And it was. The name seemed suitable to him, knowing both of the meanings behind it.

As he gazed upon his little boy, he couldn't help but remember his own childhood. There was some debate about what had happened to his parents. No one knew for sure. Some claimed that they had abandoned him, and some claimed that they had died. Either way, it didn't matter to him. The only thing that mattered was the happiness of his wife and now his son. He vowed to himself right then and there, that his son would never know what it feels like to grow up without parents. He vowed that he would be the best father he could be to his precious son.


	10. Day 10 - Beard

_So, today's prompt might seem a bit weird, but I wanted to write about Dracul's beard! I absolutely fell in love with his dark armor skin as well as the goatee beard they gave him! Now, I'm not usually the biggest beard fan, but I love it on Dracul for some reason! Anyway, imagine the dark armored Dracul for this fanfic._

* * *

\- The Year 2103 -

Dracul could scarcely believe his own life. It seemed too good to be true, like he was simply living a dream, one that he would wake from and find himself all alone again. After so many years alone, he finally had the family he had always wanted. His son, Alucard, who was currently in his bedroom across the hall, and his wife, Marie, who stood two feet away, getting ready in front of the mirror in their shared bedroom. It would seem that he had finally received his reward for all the sacrifices he was forced to make.

"Gabriel, could you help me zip up my dress," Marie asked. "I can't quite reach it."

Nodding his head, Dracul went and stood behind her, taking the zipper in his claws and pulling it up to the very top. He was still having trouble getting used to these modern clothes. Though, he supposed that they had their perks. It certainly was easier to get dressed and undressed without worrying about all the laces and ties and belts holding everything in place. He recalled how long it took him just to unfasten his wife's corset on their wedding night.

"You look beautiful, my love," he complimented, spinning her around to give her a quick peck on the lips.

Marie smiled at him, reaching up to straighten the collar of his shirt, "And you look very handsome."

Then, she did something that took Dracul a bit by surprise. As her hands left his neck, they found their way to his face. Running her fingers through his facial hair, she gave it a playful tug.

"I particularly like the beard you've grown," she added.

He raised a brow at her remark. "You do?"

"Yes, I do," she nodded her head. "It makes you look even more beastly."

This confused him. "I thought you hated how beastly my hair was?"

Dracul could still remember how she used to loathe his hair, mostly because she often tried to tame it, failing miserably each time she tried. The memory produced a small chuckle out of him. He had to admit that it was quite humorous. Marie must have been recalling the very same memory because she too let out a laugh.

"I've grown to like it over time," she admitted. "You are a beast, but you are my beast."

Hearing such words brought a wide grin to his face. Marie had always accepted him for who and what he was, loving him regardless. Yes, she would scold him when he did something she didn't approve of, but that was probably for the best. Being alone for almost a thousand years had proved just how lost he was without her love and guidance.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

The two were just about to kiss when a knock sounded on the door. It was Alucard. _Perfect timing, son,_ Dracul thought to himself. As if reading his thoughts, Marie glared at him, pulling on his beard again, this time a bit harder to get her point across. Another thing he was getting used to was the fact that he now had to share Marie with their son. Though he could honestly say that he didn't entirely mind. Watching his wife and son interact warmed his heart.

"Come in, Trevor," Marie called.

A moment later, the door opened and in came Alucard, dressed in a dark green shirt and black dress pants with a black coat over top, his long hair tied back into a ponytail for the occasion.

"Nice shirt, father," Alucard said. "No one will know who you are while you wear that."

The sarcasm in his son's voice did not go unnoticed by Dracul. He wore a black button-down shirt accented with a dragon in gold embroidery. Personally, he didn't see anything wrong with it, but his son seemed to.

Dracul rolled his eyes. "I do not care if the humans know who I am. In fact, I would prefer if they did. It will make for a far more peaceful evening if they stay away out of fear."

"Whatever you say," Alucard shrugged it off, realizing that it wasn't worth the fight. "I just came to see if you two were almost ready?"

"Nearly," Marie nodded as she turned back to face the mirror, adding the finishing touch to her outfit with a pair of simple silver earrings.

Alucard was taking them out into the city to see some sort of fancy theatre production. He didn't entirely understand why they had to get dressed up to do so, but he played along for the same of his wife and son who seemed excited about it.

"Trevor, have you ever thought about growing a beard?" Marie asked.

Alucard seemed a bit uncomfortable by the sudden question. "Actually … I had a beard once."

Both parents spun around to look at him in surprise.

"When was this?" Dracul asked. "I've only ever seen you clean-shaven."

Alucard let out a sigh. "I was twenty-two at the time. I had just returned home from a six-month-long mission for the order, and I had neglected to shave while I was away … Sypha hated it and refused to kiss me until I shaved, claiming I looked like a wild animal."

At that Marie burst out laughing, much to her son's embarrassment. Even Dracul couldn't help but smirk at the tale. The thought of his son shaving just to please his wife made him realize that they did share some things in common. They weren't complete opposites.

"I can only imagine what her reaction would have been like upon seeing Simon's beard," Dracul added.

"Didn't you say that Victor had a big scruffy beard as well?" Marie asked.

The father and son nodded their heads in unison.

"It seems to me, Gabriel, that your beastly hair has been passed down to every generation of our descendants."

Dracul chuckled, a smug look on his face. "Indeed, and I couldn't be more proud of it."


	11. Day 11 - Halloween

\- The Year 2103 -

Dracul was not a day person, as most vampires weren't, so as you can imagine, he wasn't too pleased to be awakened by the sound of banging. At first, he tried to ignore it, stuffing his head underneath the pillow, but alas not even that could drown out the sounds. This was one of the drawbacks of being a vampire. He could hear everything within a hundred feet. He made a quick mental note to inquire about the possibility of sound-proofing his room.

"Do you want me to get up and see who it is?" Marie offered, stirring at his side.

Had the offer come from anyone else, Dracul would have agreed without a second thought, but it had not. The offer came from his beloved Marie, one of the few people he would do anything for. As much as he wanted to stay in bed, he knew that he couldn't ask his wife to get up and check it out in his place. She needed sleep more than he did.

"No, I'll go see for myself," he insisted. "You can stay where you are. I won't be gone long."

Marie smiled over at him, nodding her head before laying it back down against her pillow.

Pushing the blanket back, he reluctantly got up and created a set of clothes with his blood before leaving in search of the source of the noise.

Once out in the hallway, he stopped for a second to see if the banging would start again. Sure enough, it did. He followed the sound into the living room and to the front door. There were humans on the other side. He could sense their presence. The question was; what were they doing pounding on his door?

A million possibilities went through his head, most involving the endangerment of his family. The thought alone was enough to ignite his fury. With his chaos power engulfing one hand, he slowly reached out and pulled open the door, ready to destroy anyone that dared threaten him and his family.

Rather than the mob he was expecting, with torches and pitchforks, he found himself face to face with a group of strangely dressed children. Dracul came to a sudden halt when he heard them scream with fright, his fury giving way to guilt. Why was a bunch of children pounding on his door?

"Trick or treat!" they exclaimed after a moment.

This left Dracul even more confused. What exactly was it that they wanted? Why were they dressed so strangely? One of them looked like a miniature Lycan, another like a ladybug, one like a black cat, and there was even one with fangs and a bright red cape. He assumed that one was supposed to be dressed as a vampire, though his skin was not nearly pale enough and his eyes were normal colored. And why were they all holding hollowed out plastic pumpkins?

He was just about to start voicing his questions when he noticed Alucard come up beside him, holding a big bowl of candy. Dracul was about to reach out and haul his son back inside as he crossed the threshold outside, but one look at the sky was all it took to realize that the sun had set. His son was safe from harm of the sun.

"Here you go," Alucard said, as he began to go around handing out candy to each child.

"Thank you, mister," they each thanked him.

"I love your costumes," the vampire boy remarked. "They look so life-like!"

Alucard simply smiled at him, nodded his head in acknowledgment. If only they knew just how lifelike they truly were.

No sooner had the child received their share of candy, they started to leave, waving goodbye as they passed the gate and vanished down the street. Dracul and Alucard went back inside, closing the door behind them. Dracul then turned to face his son.

"What was that about?" he asked. "Why were those children dressed the way they were?"

Setting the bowl of candy down on the coffee table, Alucard began to explain. "It's Halloween, father, a holiday where children dress up in costumes and go from house to house collecting candy."

Dracul furrowed his brows. "You're telling me that it went from a religious holiday to a holiday that celebrates all manner of dark creatures? A holiday where children go around bothering homeowners, begging for candy?"

"Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it," Alucard said with a chuckle.

Dracul simply shook his head, unable to wrap his head around the human holiday. Oddly enough, it made him miss the days of his youth when creatures of the night, such as himself, were feared rather than celebrated.

"I'm going back to be," Dracul muttered as he turned to go. "It's much too early to deal with humans and their foolishness..."


	12. Day 12 - Grave

\- The Year of our Lord 1047 -

Raindrops beat down on Gabriel's tall muscular form, disguising the drops of water that stemmed from his eyes as he stood before the big tree. This tree held many don memories for him. It was where he had first met his beloved Marie, where they had shared their first kiss, and also where he had proposed to her. And now, it would hold one tragic memory. It was the place where she was buried.

A part of him still couldn't believe it. Marie was dead … By whose hand, that he did not know, and for that matter, he did not care who it was. Whoever it was, that person was pure evil. For that person had killed the light of his life. Only someone with a heart of pure evil would do such a thing.

He had returned home from a year-long mission to find the cottage empty, the front door left wide open. In a panic, he had searched the whole surrounding forest, following footprints in the mud until he came across her. The sight that waited for him was one he would never forget. Her body laid limp on the ground, her head separated from the rest of her body. There was no sign of struggle, only a bloodied tree stump, and chopping ax.

Gabriel was devastated, holding his wife's body in his arms for a moment as he broke down into a hysterical fit of sobbing. He only stopped when Cardinal Volpe found him, urging him to bury her quickly before her body started to decay.

Gabriel knew no other place to bury her than under their favorite tree. She would have wanted to be buried there, or at least so he thought. It wasn't like he could ask her where she wanted to be buried. Nor had they ever discussed their deaths. They had no reason to. They were so young and full of life that it had never before dawned on them.

"You were taken too soon."

To say that he felt lost was an understatement. He felt like a hollow version of himself, like a large part of him had died along with his wife. He didn't know where life would take him next. He didn't want to return home without her. It just didn't seem right. He didn't want to live without her, but he knew better than to purposefully end his own life.

"What am I supposed to do now, my love?" he asked the grave before him. "I am all alone again, just as I was when my parents abandoned me."

He did not get a response, as he knew he wouldn't.

His sorrow soon gave way to anger. Why had God allowed this to happen? Was it true what some of the people were saying? That God had abandoned mankind? Raised to be a devoted warrior of God, Gabriel didn't quite want to believe it, but he could sense Satan's influence, urging him to question everything he had ever known.

No! He shook those thoughts from his mind. Surely God was not the one responsible for stealing the only person he truly cared about. That had to be Satan's doing. Who else could be to blame for all the demons and creatures of the night that roamed these lands?

At that moment, he heard a faint voice whispering to him. "Do not give up, Gabriel," the voice said. "You must keep fighting."

Gabriel was sure that the voice belonged to his Marie, but he didn't understand how he was hearing her voice.

"Marie? Is that you?" Gabriel asked. He looked around but saw no one. "How can I hear your voice if you are dead?"

When no response came at first he believed that he must have simply been hearing things, that what he had heard was simply the result of his grief. He was just about to turn and leave when he heard her voice again.

"You must help me, Gabriel," Marie's voice pleaded. "My soul is trapped on this earth. Something is blocking the recently departed from entering the afterlife."

Now he knew that he wasn't just hearing things. It truly was Marie calling out to him. He knew it in his heart. Not only that, but she was begging for his help.

He had to admit that he didn't understand what was happening. Why was she being blocked out of heaven? What was this thing that was blocking her and all the other recently departed souls? Whatever was going on, he determined that he was going to put an end to it.

"Wait for me, Marie," he said. "I may not have been able to save you from the gruesome fate you met, but I promise that I will save you from whoever it is that has trapped your soul."

And with that, he started back towards the monastery in hopes that the elders might know more about it.


	13. Day 13 - Legacy

\- The Year of our Lord 1124 -

The day had finally come. Christopher was leaving home, venturing out into the world to make a life for himself. Simon wasn't sure what to think of it. In a way, it was a milestone of sorts. After all, he was the first member of his family to actually see his son reach that age. He was the first member of his family to live this long. Well, at least as a human … His father had _died_ at the age of twenty-seven, and he was pretty sure that his grandfather had _died_ somewhere around that age as well. He was doing remarkably well, considering he was fifty-seven years old.

Yet at the same time, Simon couldn't deny that it saddened him to see his son go, though he didn't show it. His wife, on the other hand, had no issue with showing their son just how much she would miss him, clinging to him tightly as if she meant to never let go. After a while, Simon was forced to intervene and pry his wife's arms from around him, holding her firmly against his side to keep her from locking him in her arms again.

"Don't worry about me, Mother," Christopher assured her, picking up his travel bag from the ground. "I'll be alright. I'm more than a match for any monsters that I cross paths with."

Selena let out a small whimper but nodded her head in agreement.

It was true. They both knew that their son was more than capable of defending himself. Over the last few years, Simon had trained him in the art of combat, and Christopher had proven to be just as skilled as his forefathers. He was most definitely a Belmont. Simon knew that both of his parents would be proud. The Belmont Legacy was continuing.

It had been many years since Simon had seen his father. He wondered how he was doing. He wondered if he would get the chance to see him again before his time on earth ran out. Alucard had promised to return when he thought it safe, but time was never-ending for him, whereas time was short for Simon, something that he had come to realize as he watched his son grow up.

Christopher nodded to his father, silently thanking him for restraining his mother before turning and starting down the road.

"Wait a minute, son," Simon called to him, releasing his hold on Selena as he went to catch up with his son.

"Did I forget something, Father?" Christopher asked.

Simon shook his head. "No, it is I that forgot something … something very important."

Christopher gave him a questioning look.

Up until that moment, Simon had fought with himself over whether or not he should relinquish the combat cross that hung at his side. A part of him was stubborn, not wanting to part with it, but at the same time, he knew that he no longer needed it. He was too old to fight monsters, but Christopher wasn't.

With a sigh, he pulled the combat cross from its sheath, taking a moment to examine it and reflect on times past. "Are you aware of the history of this weapon?" he asked.

"It belonged to your father, but was lost after he died. You found it and used it to defeat Dracula," Christopher recited from memory.

"That's right. And now, I am passing it down to you."

Christopher's brown eyes widened with disbelief as his father held the legendary weapon towards him. "Are you sure?"

Simon nodded his head firmly. "You have proven yourself more than worthy of it."

Hearing those words, Christopher reached out and took it without any further hesitation, testing it out to see how it felt in his hand. "Thank you, father," he said with a big grin. "I hope that I too will one day have the privilege of using it to slay a vampire."

There was a time, before he had left for Dracula's castle, that he too had dreamed of the day he would slay a vampire, specifically Dracula himself, but things had changed since then. He had been clueless to the truth, just as his son was now. Christopher knew nothing of the true fate of his grandfather, or great-grandfather for that matter. Though he had met Alucard once, it had been so long ago that he did not remember.

A terrible thought struck him at that moment. What if Christopher came across Alucard at some point in his life? Would Christopher try to kill him, not knowing who he was? It was most certainly a possibility, considering his family history. With that in mind, Simon decided that he could not let his son go without knowing the truth.

"I will not deny that there are vampires worth killing, but you must know that not all of them are evil."

Christopher gave his father an odd look. "What are you talking about? Dracula killed your father … He tried to kill you … That's what you've always told me."

"Yes, but that all happened before I discovered the truth of who they were … the truth of who I am … " he trailed off momentarily. There was no easy way to say this, so he decided that it was best to just spit it out. "Dracula was once a man, a man by the name of Gabriel Belmont."

"Gabriel Belmont? Y-You mean?"

"Dracula is my grandfather."

Simon did his best to explain the tragic fate of Gabriel and Trevor Belmont. It was a long tale and a confusing one at that. It was a difficult story to tell as there were parts of it that even he didn't understand. Christopher remained silent through-out it all. By the time Simon had finished telling the story, Christopher's face had lost all color.

"I know that it is a lot to take in, and I don't expect you to accept it right away," Simon explained. "I just thought I should tell you in case you ever encounter either vampire."

Simon was not surprised when his son failed to respond. Christopher was surely lost and confused, trying to make sense of the startling information he had received. Simon knew all too well how it felt to have his world turned upside down, having felt the same way years ago.

"I … I don't believe you," Christopher spoke at long last. "Y-You're lying! That must be it! You've lost your mind with old age!"

He couldn't blame his son for thinking that. It was a difficult story to accept. Though, he had to admit that he had taken it better than Christopher seemed to. Perhaps it was because he had seen it for himself in the Mirror of Fate.

"I'm not lying to you, son."

Simon took a step towards him, reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder, but Christopher just backed away, swatting away his father's hand as he held up the combat cross between them. "Stay away from me!" he exclaimed.

His son might as well have plunged that combat cross into his father's chest, for that was exactly what it felt like to Simon. His son was treating him as if he too was a vampire. The look in his eyes showed nothing but shame and disgust. His son was disgusted by the truth … by the truth of his family's origin …

"How dare you speak to your father that way!" Selena yelled.

"It's alright, Selena," Simon insisted. "Christopher has the right to make his own decisions. If he truly wishes for me to stay away from him, then I will accept that."

He could see the sorrow in his wife's eyes. The sorrow she felt was for his sake. He forced a small smile onto his face to reassure her before turning back to face his son.

"Do not allow this to stop you from living, my son," Simon told him. "I have given you the combat cross in hopes that one day you will pass it down to your own son. Whether you choose to inform him of the story behind it, that is entirely up to you."

Again, Christopher made no response.

With a heavy heart, Simon turned and started back towards the house, returning to his wife's side. When he glanced back again, he found that his son had started walking in the opposite direction. He feared that he would never see him again.

"I now understand the reason my grandfather wanted to kill me."

"What do you mean?" Selena asked.

Even after all the years that had passed, he could still recall the reason Dracula had given for wanting to kill him.

"_He is a Belmont,"_ Dracul had stated. "_I will not suffer that bloodline to live any longer!"_

At the time he had thought the man to be nothing but cruel and bloodthirsty, but now he understood his true intentions. Dracula had meant it as an act of kindness, hoping to prevent the curse of their fate from being passed down.

"He wanted to kill me because he knew that our family has a legacy of fighting not only monsters but each other as well."

He stood there watching his son until he was too far away to be seen. It was only then that he returned into the house. The rest of his children would be home soon, and he decided right then and there that he would not tell them of their family's origin, lest their reaction is the same as their brother's. He was determined to put an end to the Belmont Legacy of shame and hatred with his remaining children, ensuring that they never knew the truth about Dracula or Alucard as Christopher now did.


	14. Day 14 - Friend

\- The Year of our Lord 1056 -

Trevor had a rather lonely childhood. He never had many friends, not because he didn't want them, but because he was not allowed to have any. At least that was the way it seemed to him. The brotherhood elders were protective of him for some unknown reason, never letting him out of their sight. It was almost as if they were scared that something would happen to him if they let him out of their sight for even a moment.

He never fully understood his elders' behavior. Whenever he would ask, he would get the same reply each time; that they were simply protecting him because he was special. While it was nice to hear that they thought he was special, he couldn't see why they would think it. In his mind, there was nothing particularly special about him. He was just a poor orphan boy with messy hair.

However, his loneliness eventually came to an end one fateful evening. Trevor had been in his room practicing his reading as he usually did when Cardinal Vicus came to fetch him. Closing his book, he got up and followed without a second thought. He was led into the sanctuary where, much to his surprise, he found a red-haired little girl standing there waiting for him.

She was a frail-looking child with pale skin, her slender frame shivering as she was drenched from being out in the rain. Despite this, Trevor still managed to think her pretty. Perhaps that was simply because he didn't have the chance to encounter many girls in the monastery, especially not ones that appeared to be the same age as him. The only girls he saw regularly were the cook and the healer, both of which were old and grey-haired. This girl was much prettier than them.

"Who is she, Cardinal?" Trevor asked reluctantly, hoping that it wasn't rude of him to ask.

"Her name is Sypha Belnades, and she is to be your friend from now on." Cardinal Vicus explained.

Trevor glanced up at his elder in surprise. At first, he thought he had heard wrong. It was only when the cardinal nodded his head in affirmation that it finally registered in his mind. For some reason, they were finally allowing him to have a friend. Not that he was complaining. The thought thrilled him, but the thrill soon vanished, being replaced by a sense of sorrow as he heard what Cardinal Vicus said next.

"We found her wandering alone in the forest. She hasn't told us exactly what happened, only that her family is dead," he added.

Trevor's little heart ached for the poor girl, but he didn't have time to focus on it as the cardinal gently guided the girl closer to him.

"I need you to stay with her while I go fetch the healer," the Cardinal said. "Can you do that for me?"

Trevor nodded his head. "Yes, I can do that."

Giving the boy a quick smile, Cardinal Vicus took his leave. As soon as he was gone, Trevor took Sypha's hand gently in his, leading her over to the fireplace in the far corner of the sanctuary, sitting down with her in front of the crackling fire to keep warm.

He watched the girl out of the corner of his eye, noticing only for the first time how red and puffy her eyes were, definite signs of crying for an extended amount of time. He felt so sorry for her but didn't know what to do to help her. It did occur to him that it might help to hug her, but he wasn't sure if it was improper for him to do so. So, he did the only other thing he could think of, and that was to try and comfort her with words.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said sympathetically. "I know what it's like not to have a family."

Sniffling slightly, Sypha glanced over at him. "Are you an orphan as well?"

He nodded his head. "My parents died shortly after I was born, or so I am told," he explained. "I know it doesn't make sense because I never got the chance to know them, but I still miss them."

"I think it makes perfect sense. After all, they were your parents."

"That's true."

Trevor glanced down at the floor as thoughts of his parents filled his mind. He often wondered what they had been like. Just like any other orphan, he liked to imagine that they were warm and kind and that they loved him unconditionally. He often dreamed of a different life, one where he still had parents. A life where they showered him with hugs and kisses and told him stories of how they met and fell in love. He dreamed of everything he had never had.

"There have been times that I've felt alone, but then I remember that I'm not, and neither are you. You have me and the brotherhood. We'll be your family from now on."

At that, Sypha managed to give him a small smile. She didn't say anything, but he did notice her shift closer to him until their shoulders were touching. That alone told him that his attempt at helping her had worked. At the very least, he was reassured by the fact that she was comfortable around him. He tried to suppress it out of respect for Sypha and her recent loss, but deep down he was bursting with joy. He finally had a friend! And for some unexplainable reason, he got the feeling that she would be a lifelong friend at that.


	15. Day 15 - Twilight

_Alright, I just want to claim that I do not mean to threaten the author mentioned in this story. This is simply what I believe Dracul's reaction to be. While the series is not my favorite, I do not completely hate it either. So yeah, please don't be mad. I wrote this purely for entertainment._

* * *

\- The Year 2104 -

The life of an immortal was oftentimes boring. Dracul had found himself bored beyond comprehension many times over the last thousand years of his life. In the past, he had been known for torturing the brotherhood as entertainment, but those days were forgotten. He no longer saw the need to do so now that he had his wife and son.

Despite this, he still found himself bored on the odd occasion, and today was one of those occasions. Marie was still asleep, and Alucard was off doing … Well, he didn't know exactly what Alucard was doing, but he was busy regardless. With little else to do, Dracul wandered over to the library, something that he found himself doing quite a lot in his spare time.

When he arrived, he found Medusa hard at work organizing the ever-increasing mountain of books that they acquired. Medusa had become the librarian of sorts, as it was the job that most appealed to her, while her sisters took other positions. Euryale had taken up the role of the cook. She cooked mostly for Marie as well as the few servants who could actually consume food. Meanwhile, Stheno had been tasked with keeping all the other servants in line, making sure that they knew their place and didn't attempt to plot anything against their master.

"May I help you find something, my prince?" Medusa asked, bending around to face him.

"I need entertainment," Dracul replied. "Do you know of any books I might find interesting?"

Medusa thought for a moment before digging into the pile of books. A moment later she produced a stack of thick books, holding them out to him. "My sisters claim to love this series. I haven't read it myself, but they tell me it's about vampires and werewolves."

Vampires and Werewolves? That certainly piqued his interest. He had read a few books about vampires, all written by humans, and these books were no different it would seem. What he had read so far was mostly truthful, so he was curious as to whether these books would be similar.

Taking the stack of books from her, he went and took a seat in one of the armchairs in the center of the library. Once he was seated, he set the stack down on the floor next to him and pulled open the first of the books by the title of '_Twilight'_.

Being a fast reader, it didn't take him long to finish, though he couldn't say that it was at all truthful. It was rather bizarre. The story was told from by a young human girl by the name of Isabella Swan, or Bella as she preferred to be called, who falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. The bizarre part of it was not that the vampires drank only animal blood, but rather that their skin sparkled when in contact with sunlight.

Despite finding it strange, he continued reading the series for reasons unknown to him. It became more outrageous and unrealistic with every book he read. A vampire doctor … A werewolf and a vampire fighting over the attention of one girl, and a rather foolish girl at that … It just didn't make any sense to him. By the time he reached the last book, he felt the urge to track down the author and strangle her for writing such nonsense. How dare she write such lies about his species!

He had just finished when Alucard came in, immediately striding towards him.

"There you are, father," Alucard said. "Mother has been looking for you for hours."

Dracul dropped the book carelessly to the floor, cradling his head in his hands. "If I had known that, I would have stopped reading and gladly went to her."

Alucard bent down and picked up the book his father had dropped, examining the cover of it. "The Twilight Saga? I've heard of it. It's quite popular among young ladies," he claimed.

Dracul just shook his head. Oh, how humanity had fallen. Was this truly what humans thought of vampires? A bunch of sparkly perverts who stalked young girls and watched them sleep? How could anyone like such a thing?

Rising to his feet, he turned to Medusa, who was once again busily sorting through books. "I want this whole series burned to dust, along with every other book that is even the slightest bit similar."

Straightening, the snake-haired woman nodded and crawled forward to retrieve the books. "As you wish, my prince." and with that, she took off.

"Were they really that bad?" Alucard asked.

"Let's just say that it will probably be a while before I sleep with your mother again."

Alucard cringed. "I did not need to hear that, but I get the point regardless."

Dracul wasn't sure if it was even possible, but the mere thought of Marie losing her life because of a half-vampire baby was enough to frighten him. He had already lost her once. He wasn't about to lose her again.


	16. Day 16 - Love

\- The Year 2103

Dracul strode into the room that had become a playroom of sorts for his son, stopping for a moment to examine the young boy before him, watching him as he played with the carved figurines of everyone he had ever known throughout his life. Clutched in the child's hands were the figurines of himself and his mother, making them glide across the table as if they were dancing. He smiled at the sight. If only he could have had the opportunity to watch his son play in real life.

He wasn't entirely sure how the child version of his son had come to be, nor did he know how he had been brought back to the castle repeatedly to reclaim his relics. However, he assumed that it was an illusion of some sort. He had even thought of the possibility that this was all just a dream, and that he was still asleep in his coffin. It was confusing, to say the least, but he tried not to think too much of it. He was just grateful for opportunities like this. Even if it was a dream, he still had his son with him. That alone was enough.

"I've brought you another piece of the mirror, son," Dracul said, coming up beside his son.

Setting down the figurines, Trevor turned to face his father. He reached out and took the mirror shard from him, gently fitting it into place in the broken mirror.

"Thank you, Father," Trevor replied with a rare smile.

Dracul merely nodded his head in reply, stroking a hand through his son's hair. He marveled at the boy's hair and how similar it was to his own. It was dark brown but often looked black in certain lighting, a combination of his and Marie's hair, and it was shaggy, a trait that was definitely inherited from him. He was a beautiful child, both on the inside and the outside. He could hardly believe that someone like him had helped create such a child.

The smile soon vanished from Trevor's face. Though his son tried to hide it as he returned his focus towards the figurines, Dracul was still able to spot the troubled expression that replaced his smile. Though his heart was dead, he swore he felt a twinge of pain at that moment. He didn't like seeing his son troubled.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Trevor shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong …" he trailed off momentarily as if contemplating whether to tell him what was on his mind or now. "I'm just curious …. Why did you turn me?"

Dracul felt his body stiffen as memories of that wretched day came to mind. As a rule, he usually pushed such memories to the furthest part of his mind, finding them too painful to think of.

"Why do you ask that?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders, still refusing to meet his father's gaze.

Taking his son by the shoulders, Dracul pulled him around to face him, kneeling down so that the two of them were eye to eye. "Tell me, why do you ask that?"

Trevor let out a small sigh. "You are a difficult man to understand, father. When I first met you, you acted as though you cared about nothing but revenge, and you didn't seem any different during our second confrontation," he explained. "A part of me has always wondered why you chose to turn me rather than letting me die, and though I had hopes that you did so out of love, or at the very least compassion, it seemed as though you turned me solely with the hope that I might join you in destroying the brotherhood."

Surely his heart couldn't be dead as he thought it was, for the pain he felt at his son's words made it seem as though his heart had been ripped in half. Not once had he expected his son to feel that way. The only emotion he had ever noticed in his son was hatred. He had believed that his son only felt hatred towards him. Apparently, he had been mistaken.

"I'm sorry that I gave you that impression, but I assure you that was not the case." Having heard his son's thoughts on it, he felt that he at least owed the boy a truthful answer to his question. "I turned you, not out of selfish motivation, but rather because I was desperate … desperate to save you."

He could see the flicker of hope in Trevor's eyes as he stared at him, though he also caught a glimpse of reluctance as well. It was as if the boy wanted to believe him, but was scared to.

"Are you aware of my origin, son?"

Trevor shook his head. "I was often told stories about Mother, but never any about you."

The fact that the brotherhood had purposefully neglected to tell his son about him brought a momentary spark of anger forward, but he suppressed it. Now was not the time to be focusing on all the ways that the brotherhood had betrayed him.

"I was an orphan, left on the doorstep of the brotherhood as a newborn baby. I grew up hearing rumors that I was the bastard of some nobleman, though I've never known if they were true," he began to explain. "A family was always something that I longed for, yet it seemed impossible for most of my human life. Your mother and I tried for many years without fruition."

Trevor listened intently but did not speak.

"The revelation that I had unknowingly killed my own son was a devastating blow. Although I was angry at the brotherhood for keeping you a secret from me, my main concern at the time was keeping you alive," Dracul continued. "I could not lose you like I lost your mother. I turned you because I wanted the chance to get to know you … I turned you because I loved you, despite the fact I had only just met you. You are the family I always wanted, and even though I am not the best at showing it, I do love you."

By the time he finished, a smile had returned to Trevor's face. However, he hardly had time to notice as his son reached out and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly. It took him a couple of minutes to recover from the shock that his son was actually hugging him, but he returned the hug soon after, savoring the warmth that the embrace provided. Long had such warmth been absent from his life.

"I'm sorry I assumed the worst of you, father," Trevor apologized. "I'm glad to finally have you in my life and … I love you too."

Those four simple words seemed to scare away all the anger and hatred inside of him, just like they had when they came from Marie. It seemed that love was capable of conquering even the vilest of beasts.


	17. Day 17 - Hot Tub

\- The Year 2104 -

It all started when one of those annoying door-to-door salesmen arrived at the old cathedral's doorstep. Usually, it was Dracul himself or one of the servants who answered the door, scaring off any unwanted visitors, but this time, in particular, it had been Marie who answered it.

He should have known better than to let his pure-hearted wife answer the door. The wicked salesman had manipulated her into purchasing his wares within a matter of minutes, telling her some fake sob story about how he needed the money to feed his children. Unfortunately, Marie had a weak spot when it came to children and was unable to say no.

And so, the former prince of darkness found himself with a gigantic hot tub in his bathroom, standing in front of it, dressed only in a pair of tiny shrunken trousers, which incidentally he felt ridiculous in. He shook his head. The things he did for his wife.

"Remind me what the purpose of this contraption is," Dracul said.

"As far as I can tell, it's just a huge bathtub," Marie called from the bedroom

A huge bathtub? That made absolutely no sense. Why would anyone need that when they could wash just as well in a regular-sized bathtub? Surely it would be less expensive and take up much less room. He remembered the days when he had to bathe in a wooden bathtub, with water that had been saved over from a fellow warriors bath. Of course that was before he got married, but still.

"I'm surprised humans haven't found a way to sell pools of lava," Dracul muttered to himself.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and in came Marie dressed in a towel. "Oh good, you're already in your swimming trunks," she remarked. "Are you ready to give the hot tub a try?"

He nodded his head with a small sigh. "As ready as I will ever be."

What Marie did next caused his jaw to drop. Peeling off the towel, she revealed that she too was practically naked, wearing only a tiny top that barely covered her breasts and an even tinier pair of trousers. Had he been human, he was certain that his face would have been as red as a tomato. Back in the days of their youth, such attire would have been highly inappropriate.

However, despite that, he had to admit that he didn't entirely mind. So long as he was the only one to see her dressed like that. The thought of her dressing like that in public was enough to reawaken his anger. He had always been a bit overprotective of her. Let's just say that many of her other suitors were chased off and sometimes even threatened.

"Well, if you're going to dress like that whenever we use the contraption then perhaps it wasn't a complete waste of money," he remarked with a smirk.

She giggled as she stepped towards him, running her hands across his bare chest before reaching out to take hold of his hand. "I have to say that I agree. Your quite pleasing to the eye yourself."

Then, without wasting a moment more, she started to lead him towards the hot tub.

Climbing in after her, Dracul immediately noted that the water was hot. In fact, it was so hot that he let out a slight yelp. Fortunately, it didn't take long for his body to acclimatize. Though he was a vampire with skin like ice, he was accustomed to heat because of his chaos powers.

Marie sighed with contentment as she sunk her body into the heated water, sitting down on the bench that was built into the inside of the hot tub. "Oh, this feels nice, especially after standing around in nothing but a bathing suit."

Dracul nodded his head in agreement, sitting down beside her and holding her close to him. "I suppose it would be too hot to wear anything more."

The two cuddled into each other, finding that they rather enjoyed their newest purchase. However, their relaxation was quickly interrupted as something strange began to happen with the water. Bubbles began to fill the hot tub, shooting out from the floor and walls of the tub.

"What is happening?" he asked.

Marie just shrugged, looking just as startled as him.

Then, all of a sudden the water started to turn color. It started out pink before darkening into red. Dracul began to panic, believing that perhaps his wife was bleeding, but after a moment he realized that was not the case. He would have sensed it if she was. And it certainly wasn't his blood. Could it be that the hot tub itself was causing this?

The red water soon changed to orange, slowly fading into yellow. Dracul and Marie exchanged a glance as they watched the water change every color known to man. It was truly a bizarre sight.

"It must be a magical hot tub!"

He couldn't sense any magic infused within the water, but his brain could come up with no other explanation as to how the water kept changing color and spitting out bubbles. Alucard claimed that magic had almost completely died out in the modern world, but surely he had to be mistaken. This hot tub had to have been made by a magician, just like the TV in the living room.

"Does it have a remote?" he asked.

"I don't think so," Marie shook her head. "The salesman didn't give me one."

If only they knew that Alucard stood in the hallway outside their bedroom with that very remote in his hands. Alucard let out a laugh as he overheard his parent's reactions to all the strange things that were happening. Needless to say, he was having a blast with it.


	18. Day 18 - Loneliness

\- The Year of our Lord 1154 -

Being a vampire came with many advantages, but it also came with its disadvantages as well. As the years passed, Alucard found himself increasingly lonely, a feeling that he had only developed after the death of his son. He had no family left … No, that wasn't entirely correct. His son had left him four beautiful grandchildren, who now all had children of their own as well. The Belmont Bloodline was very much still alive, but he was no longer a part of it.

Out of all of his grandchildren, only the oldest, Christopher, was aware of the truth of his grandfather, as well as his great-grandfather. Alucard had made the effort to watch over his grandson for a while, but that all ended when he caught on to his presence. Christopher made it clear to him that he did not want anything to do with his vampiric relations, vowing to kill him when next they met. Alucard accepted his grandson's wishes and had stayed away ever since.

And so, night after night he wandered the Romanian forests aimlessly, his only companions being the wild beasts that he hunted. By day, he would hide deep within caves where no man dared venture and curl up to sleep. It was a routine that he quickly grew weary of, but he didn't know what else to do. It seemed that this was his fate.

They say that loneliness often drives men to desperation, and so it proved true for him. He began to crave companionship, remembering memories of long ago when he was human with a wife and son. Above all, he craved love as he remembered his wife's final words to him before she descended into heaven. He could sense that the love in his heart was starting to vanish, and that frightened him. His greatest fear was that he would lose all remnants of humanity, and become succumb to the monster within.

One day he came across a tiny village nestled deep within the forest, far enough away from the brotherhood that he felt he could approach without being in danger. He watched the inhabitants for months on end in an attempt to remind himself what it was like to be loved. However, that only made him feel jealous … Jealous of all the men who were able to embrace their wives … Jealous of all the fathers who were able to kiss their children goodnight. They had everything that had been stolen from him.

Before long the jealousy became too much for him to handle and so he conjured up a plan to put an end to his eternal misery once and for all. After months of observing the village, he had come to recognize every single one of its inhabitants. There was one in particular that stood out to him though. Living on the outskirts of the village with her elderly grandmother was a nineteen-year-old woman with long red hair. Her name was unknown to him, but he was drawn to her none-the-less, most likely because she reminded him of his lost love.

Every evening the red-headed woman would venture out to the well not too far away with a wooden pail to fetch water for her grandmother's bath. Alucard followed her that evening, remaining out of sight. No sooner had she reached the well and started to lower her pail into it, then he stepped out from hiding.

"A beautiful young lady such as yourself should not venture out into the woods alone," he spoke at last.

At the sound of his voice, the woman jumped, losing her grip on the rope she was holding as she spun around, her eyes scanning through the darkness for a few moments before spotting him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," she said. "I appreciate your concern, good sir, but there is nothing life-threatening in these woods. I come out here often and not once have I encountered any danger."

"There's always a first time for everything," he warned her.

She simply smiled at him. "Well, I'm sure I'll be alright now that you're here."

After a moment, she returned to her previous task, retrieving the rope and pulling on it to bring the pail back up. While she did so, Alucard took the opportunity to draw closer to her until he was standing directly behind her. He noticed her form stiffen, without a doubt noticing his sudden closeness.

"Is there something I can help you with, sir?" she asked. "Do you want me to fetch some water for you as well?"

"You can help me by ending my eternal loneliness," he whispered in her ear.

In the blink of an eye, the woman found herself pinned back against a tree, standing face to face with Alucard, finally able to see his face. At the sight of his glowing yellow eyes and protruding fangs, she let out a scream, but it was soon muffled as Alucard clamped a hand over her mouth.

"The only way to do that is to create for myself a companion who is also immortal. Someone who won't die before my eyes … someone whom I can love forever."

After a few moments, the young woman stopped struggling. Alucard wasn't exactly paying attention though, as his mind was consumed by the prospect of having a companion. Removing his hand from her mouth, he quickly removed his gauntlet, tossing it aside before sinking his teeth into the tender flesh of his wrist. However, he did not consume any of the blood that spilled out.

The moment he noticed blood, he pulled his fangs out and pressed the open wound to the woman's lips. Though he had never seen it done before, he knew by vampiric instinct that this was how people were turned into vampires.

Though she did not struggle against him, she kept her lips firmly shut, forcing the blood to drip down her chin rather than enter her mouth. She simply stood there, staring into his eyes, her look of fear eventually giving way to sorrow.

With a nod of the head, Alucard noticed her lips start to open, and he realized that she was finally agreeing to become his companion. He should have felt happy. He should have felt relieved that his solitude was about to come to an end, but he didn't. Instead, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt wash over him.

"_Don't do this, Trevor. This is not who you are."_ A voice suddenly entered his head.

He knew that voice anywhere. It belonged to Sypha.

At that moment, it was as if his eyes were opened to what exactly he was doing. As quickly as he could, he pulled his wrist away from the woman's lips. Though the lower half of her face was covered in blood, none had entered her mouth. She was safe …

His body began to tremble uncontrollably as everything about the situation sunk in. He had nearly stolen the humanity of an innocent young woman, condemning her to the same wretched fate as him. How could he have possibly been so selfish? Surely he must be a monster, no different than his father, for even considering it.

Unable to support himself, he crumpled to the ground in a heap of sobs. "I'm sorry!" he cried out. "I'm so sorry!"

The apology was meant for both his beloved Sypha in heaven as well as the woman before him.

He expected the woman to run from him, screaming in fright, but much to his surprise, she did not. Instead, she did the last thing he could have possibly imagined. Kneeling before him, she reached her arms out and wrapped him in her embrace, cradling his head against her chest as he sobbed.

"It's okay," she soothed. "I forgive you."

Somehow hearing that just made him feel worse. He didn't deserve this woman's forgiveness. In his mind, he deserved to be cast into the pits of hell. He could not forgive himself for trying to harm such a kind-hearted soul.

"Shh… Everything is alright. You're not alone."

Eventually, he was able to calm down as the warmth of the woman's embrace brought him comfort. He hadn't fully realized just how much he missed feeling warmth until that moment. However, he also realized how improper the situation, and he forced himself to pull away from the woman's arms, rising to his feet and extending a hand to help her up as well.

"Thank you for the mercy you have shown me," he kept his eyes on the ground, unable to look upon her face.

"It is no problem. I am happy to help, though I admit I'm not too fond of blood," she admitted.

At those words, he dared to glance up, remembering that she was dripping with his blood. In a bold sudden movement, he whizzed past her, grabbing the pail of water and handing it to her so that she could clean herself off.

She nodded her head to him in thanks as she reached in and cupped some water into her hands, cleaning the blood off her face. Once every spot of blood was gone, Alucard emptied the pail and got her some fresh water. It seemed the least he could do to make up for what he had almost done.

"Thank you, good sir," she said, giving him a beautiful wide smile. "You are very kind."

He shook his head. "I am neither good nor kind. The fact that I tried to rob you of your humanity is proof of that."

"But you stopped, didn't you?" she reasoned. "I don't know many vampires who have ever done that. Nor do I know many vampires who have been kind enough to draw me a fresh pail of water."

He had to admit that she did have a point, though he refused to believe that he was not to blame. Had it not been for hearing Sypha's voice in his head, he might not have been able to stop himself.

"Do you not have any family?"

"None that want me around," he answered truthfully.

"Well then, would you mind terribly if I came and kept you company for a while each evening?" she asked. "I love my grandmother, but she's not exactly the easiest to communicate with. I'm afraid she's lost most of her hearing."

He didn't know how to respond to that. Though he longed for someone to talk to, he knew he couldn't think only of himself. Would it be too risky? Was he far enough away from the brotherhood? He knew that they would surely come if word reached them of his presence. Would it hurt to spend time with this young woman who seemed to be lonely as well?

"I wouldn't mind at all," he gave her a weak smile of his own. "However, you must promise not to tell anyone about me. I do not wish to cause anyone trouble with my presence."

She nodded her head in agreement. "May I know the name of my new friend?"

He opened his mouth to tell her his human name but stopped short. Trevor Belmont was dead. He didn't exist anymore. "My name is Alucard."

"What an interesting name you have," she remarked. "My name is Freya. Freya Lecarde."

Taking her hand in his, he pressed a gentle kiss to it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Freya Lecarde."


	19. Day 19 - Sickness

\- The Year of our Lord 1044 -

Gabriel knew that he was coming down with a fever the moment he awoke that morning. Though the cottage was warm, being in the heat of the summer, his body felt frigidly cold. His head pounded as if a full-fledged battle was taking place inside. Despite this, he still forced himself to get up and get ready for the day. Gabriel was a stubborn man and wasn't about to let a fever hinder him.

He managed to dress with little problem, but then, as he bent down to put on his boots, the world began to start spinning. Clutching his head, he sat down and waited for it to pass before attempting to put his boots on again. Unfortunately, Marie had caught on that something was wrong by that point.

"Are you well, Gabriel?" she asked, concern etched on her face as she approached him, pressing a hand to his forehead. She hastily retracted it a moment later. "You're burning up!"

Gabriel shook his head. "I'm fine."

He got up and started towards the door, but Marie rushed after him and grabbed him by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded. "The last thing you need to be doing while your ill is venturing out."

"I have no choice, Marie," he said with a sigh. "I'm expected to train that group of squires today."

A frown spread across Marie's face as she placed her hands on her hips. He knew in an instant that he was going to lose this argument. Pushing him back, Marie rushed towards the door, grabbing the key and turning it into the keyhole, thus locking him in.

"But, Marie …" he started to protest.

"You are not leaving this house," she stated firmly, closing her fist tightly around the key. "And if the brotherhood has the nerve to come and fetch you, they will have me to deal with. Now get back into bed!"

He relented at last as he saw the unwavering determination in her eyes, and allowed her to push him back towards the bed. While he slipped out of his boots, Marie went and got an extra blanket from the linen cupboard, and making him lay down, pulled both blankets over him. He had to admit that the thought of staying in bed where it was warm did seem better than going out and working with a bunch of boys.

"You stay there and I will cook you some pottage for breakfast."

He simply nodded his head, watching intently as she got to work chopping up a chicken breast and some fresh vegetables from their garden. Though the two of them had been married for nearly two full years now, there were still moments when he couldn't believe how lucky he was. Somehow he had managed to capture the heart of such an amazing woman. He was unworthy of her love, yet she gave it to him regardless.

Once the pottage was ready, she poured a heaping ladleful into a bowl and brought it over to him. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she picked up the wooden spoon and lifted it to his lips. He humored her by letting her feed him the first spoonful but took over feeding himself after that.

He let a small sigh of contentment as the thick broth ran down his throat, warming him up from the inside. Cooking was one of Marie's many talents, and quite possibly one of the talents he appreciated the most. After years of eating the brotherhood cook's half raw pottage and rock hard loaves of bread, Marie's cooking was a blessing.

"Why are you so good to me?" he asked, setting the now-empty bowl on the bedside table.

"Don't you remember our wedding vows?" she replied. "I married you for better or for worse."

"In sickness and in health," he recited.

"Til death do us part," they said in unison.

With a smile, Marie began to lean in to kiss him, but Gabriel moved his head away to prevent it.

"No kiss for me?" She began to pout, causing Gabriel to chuckle lightly. She was adorable when she pouted like that. It made it all the more difficult to resist her.

"I don't want to give you my fever," he explained.

She shook her head at him. "Silly man."

Reaching out, she grabbed his face in her hands and pressed a kiss to his lips regardless.

Gabriel didn't have enough willpower to fight her on it, and kissed her back without hesitation, his arms wrapping around her waist to pull her down onto the bed with him. "Well, now you're definitely going to get sick."

She giggled. "I am not afraid of a fever. If I am to get sick, then you can return the favor by taking care of me."

He smirked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I suppose that's a fair trade."


	20. Day 20 - Doting

\- The Year of our Lord 1067 -

Sypha let out a frustrated sigh as she once again failed to get up from her seat. She had sat down to eat lunch and had been trying to get back up for a good ten minutes without success, the weight of her extremely swollen belly keeping her down. As a result, she now felt exhausted and was covered in sweat. And if to make matters worse, a pair of feet kept kicking her in the ribcage, causing her to flinch in pain.

"Settle down in there, little one," she said, patting her belly in hopes of calming the child.

As much as she liked children and wished to have some of her own, she had come to realize that pregnancy did not agree with her. Several other women in the Brotherhood Stronghold were expecting as well, and they made it seem so easy, but to Sypha it seemed like pure torture. She honestly couldn't understand how women managed to cope with it, especially more than once.

Between the child kicking throughout the night and having to use the privy every few minutes, she hadn't managed to get a decent night's sleep in weeks. Her self confidence had never been so low as it was during these long torment-filled months. She felt and looked like a bear, a big fat bear. The mirror had become her most dreaded enemy throughout the ordeal.

Not knowing what else to do, she gave in to the fact that she wasn't going anywhere, and decided that she might as well try to get comfortable. Grabbing the stool beside her own, she lifted her feet on top of it, feeling a bit of relief from that. Another drawback of pregnancy was that her feet were easily sore, even after being on them for no more than fifteen minutes. The extra weight she carried was too much for them to handle.

Just then, as if by a stroke of good fortune, the front door opened and in walked Trevor, still dressed in battle gear and sweaty from a training session. Seeing the state of his wife, he gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Would you like some help?" Trevor asked.

Sypha nodded her head. "That would be most appreciated."

Crossing the room towards her, he took hold of her hands and hoisted her up in one swift movement, taking advantage of the situation to hold her close, or rather as close as he could with her protruding belly in the way, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I don't understand how you can even stand to kiss me," She claimed, motioning to her body. "I look revolting."

Trevor shook his head, his long dark hair swaying from side to side. "You look just as attractive as ever in my eyes."

"Well then, perhaps you are going blind because I don't believe you."

Trevor completely ignored her remark, bending down to press a kiss to the tip of her belly. "And has our little one been behaving?"

"I suppose so, aside from the near-constant kicking," she replied. "I swear the child never sleeps."

He chuckled lightly as he rose to his full height, almost a full head taller than her. "I'm sure that it just seems that way."

Finally on her own two feet again, she began to clear the table. However, no sooner did she have the dishes in her hands then they were stolen by Trevor.

"Trevor, I may not be able to do much in this state, but I am capable of cleaning up the dishes," she insisted, glaring at him.

Though she tried to retrieve them from him, he moved them out of her reach every time. Sadly, that was one of the disadvantages of having a husband who was so tall.

"I just want to make sure you are healthy and well taken care of," he explained. "My mother died shortly after I was born, and though I don't know for sure, I fear it was my birth that caused her death. I don't want the same to happen to you."

Sypha's gaze softened when she heard this. She had forgotten about his mother. They had been to visit her grave many times but never had they learned the exact cause of her death. Nor had they ever learned what exactly happened to his father. The only thing they knew was that they were both dead.

Reaching up, she cupped his face in her hands. "Such things are completely out of our control. All we can do is hope for the best and do what we can to ensure the health of both me and the baby."

Trevor nodded his head, leaning into her touch. "I know, but it would still mean a lot to me if you would go upstairs and rest while I take care of the dishes and fix myself lunch."

She found that she could no longer object now that she knew his reason. A smile crept upon her face. He was nothing if not a doting husband and soon to be father.

"All right, but I'll probably need your help getting up again later."

"I think I can manage that."


	21. Day 21 - Jealousy

\- The Year 2103 -

Carmilla had never been prone to jealousy, having never before found anyone to be jealous of. As a human, she had been known far and wide for her beauty, showered with attention from an abundance of suitors. And as one of the former Lords of Shadow, she had ruled as Queen of the Vampires, feared and respected by all. As you can imagine, she didn't enjoy being turned down, especially not by a man as handsome as Gabriel Belmont, the current Lord of Shadow and Prince of Darkness.

The subject of her jealousy was none other than his _precious_ wife, Marie. The mere thought of the woman filled her with rage. She didn't know why she was so jealous, for the woman was not nearly as beautiful as she was. In fact, this Marie was rather plain-looking. Yet, the prince still loved the woman with all of his heart and soul, even after a thousand years had passed.

"My Love!" Marie exclaimed as she ran into her husband's embrace. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Watching the two of them sickened her, but it made her realize why exactly she was so jealous. Carmilla had always lived a privileged life, but there were two things that she had always wanted more than anything else, yet never obtained; a loving husband and child. This woman had those two very things, and she loathed her for it.

"Now drink from me again," Marie ordered her husband. "The witch's blood is powerful."

Carmilla could not allow her rival to win … She would not allow it … The spell she had cast over him was powerful indeed, and would not be broken if she had anything to do with it. Before the night was done, she vowed to herself that Gabriel would belong to her and her alone, forever to stay with her in the castle, making her his Princess of Darkness.

Casting an enchantment over herself, she rushed forward to intervene. "No, Gabriel!" she declared.

The handsome vampire stopped at the sound of her voice, or rather Marie's voice, his fangs only inches away from his wife's neck. Slowly backing away, he glanced back and forth between the two Marie's that stood before him, shocked and confused as to what was going on.

Carmilla had to suppress the urge to smirk. Her mirage was working perfectly. It made him push his wife away, doubting who she truly was. Poor Gabriel wasn't able to tell the difference.

"This is pointless!" Marie declared, her fists clenched. "He knows your tricks!

Carmilla ignored the other woman, directing her full attention towards the prince of darkness. "Only my blood can undo the spell."

The prince did not speak, clearly lost in thought. He took a couple of steps forward, turning to face the mirage. There was uncertainty in his eyes, as he appeared to be studying her as if searching for something in particular.

She didn't know exactly what he was looking for, but she was confident that he would choose her. After all, there was no visible difference between her mirage and the real thing.

"Choose me! I am your woman! I am yours!" she pleaded with him.

"Follow your heart!" exclaimed the real Marie. "I have faith in you!"

She realized soon enough that something she said must have tipped him off, for he strode determinedly away from her, taking the real Marie in his arms once more, gently caressing her face before plunging his fangs into her neck.

"No, my prince!" She screamed for him to stop, but it was too late. The woman's blood had already entered his body. She could feel her power over him beginning to slip away.

Allowing the enchantment to slip away, Carmilla clenched her fists, her body shaking uncontrollably. A voice in her head told her that she had lost, but she refused to acknowledge it. Gabriel would be hers, and nothing would stop her. She would not be defeated.

"What a disappointment you are!" she declared, returning to her own voice.

Pulling away from his wife, the powerful vampire turned to face her with angry red eyes, stepping in front of Marie as if to protect her. "You!" Summoning his void sword, he charged towards her, the blade pointed straight towards her.

"Bad choice," Carmilla smirked. It seemed that he wanted a fight. Oh, he would certainly get that, but the result might not be to his satisfaction.

Summoning a bolt of electricity, she blocked his attack, sending him flying backward. His body hit the ground with a loud thump. It would appear that he was still weakened from both the influence of her spell as well as the five-hundred-year nap he had taken. This might be easier than she initially thought.

With the vampire on the ground, struggling to get his bearings, she took advantage of the opportunity and grabbed Marie, flinging her carelessly off to the side, creating a prison of sorts to keep her from interfering.

"Marie!" Gabriel called to her.

Carmilla burst out laughing as she summoned her full powers to surround her, lifting her off the ground and into mid-air. "Now you're going to be mine!"

The handsome vampire prince turned to her again, his hands ablaze with his chaos powers. He was not going to go down without a fight, but he was not at full power, as she had already seen with her own eyes. He was no match for her.

The battle began, and though she managed to knock him to the ground many times, Gabriel got back up to continue fighting every time. A part of her admired his determination, for it nearly matched her own. If only he would use such determination to fight for her instead.

With the ferocity of the legendary dragon that he claimed to be, he fought her, thwarting every attempt she made to subdue him. In the end, he kept running back to the other woman, freeing himself entirely from the spell with his wife's blood. No longer under Carmilla's power, he was stronger than ever. She had thought that he was powerful as a human, but the power he held then was nothing compared to the power he held now.

Beginning to realize that she was not going to win this battle, she poured every last ounce of her power into the fight, trying her hardest to keep him down with electric shocks. Yet, despite her best efforts, it didn't seem to be enough. He was too strong for her. He even managed to steal some of her powers from her. It became clear to her that she would once again die at his hands should this battle continue.

A part of her felt ready to give up, yet the jealousy within her still raged, urging her ever on. Breaking out into a run towards the prison holding Marie hostage, she yanked on the gate, ripping it off its hinges.

"You are coming with me!" she declared as she closed in on the pathetic excuse of a woman. Her sole objective now was to get rid of the pest once and for all. If she couldn't have Gabriel, then neither could this woman.

With every step Carmilla took towards her, Marie took a step back until she found herself with nowhere else to go, her back pressed against the castle's stone wall. "Gabriel!" she cried out for her husband to save her.

Carmilla was just inches away from her now and was about to reach out and grab her when she felt something pierce through her chest. She knew the feeling all too well, for she had felt it before. A quick glance down confirmed her suspicion. It was Gabriel's void sword. Once again he had stabbed her in the heart. This time, she found that she didn't even care. He had broken her heart so many times with his refusal to love her that there was nothing left but broken pieces anyway.

Giving Marie one last glare, she managed to spit out a few last words. "You win … Marie Belmont …"

No sooner had she spoken, then she felt her body turn to ash. She had failed, and now she would face an eternity of torment, knowing that this woman would continue to have everything that she had ever truly wanted.


	22. Day 22 - Tired

\- The Year of our Lord 1048 -

Gabriel was so tired … tired of living … tired of being manipulated and deceived … His body was tired as well, both mentally and physically … He hadn't slept properly in months. Not since the girl, Claudia was murdered. Zobek was still out there, he knew it deep within himself. He was too afraid to sleep, lest Zobek manipulate him in his sleep again and force him to take more lives.

As he stood upon the edge of the mountain top, dark thoughts began to prey upon his mind, tempting him to jump to his death, thus ending his miserable existence. He had nothing left to live for. Life seemed meaningless without his Marie. She had been his reason for fighting. It was for her that he embarked on this quest, and though he had succeeded in saving her lost soul, he couldn't help but feel miserable. It was selfish of him, but at that moment he didn't care. All he wanted was to be with his wife. Though he realized that jumping to his death might not reunite him with her, but rather send him straight to hell, for that was where he felt he belonged.

"Why did you give my life back to me!?" he demanded to know. "Why would you be so cruel as to deny me a peaceful death? What purpose do I have to continue living?"

The heavens were silent, just as he knew they would be.

"Where do I go from here?"

He knew of no place upon this earth that he could go. He had a home, but he did not want to return to it without his wife. It just didn't seem right. There was no way he was going to return to the Brotherhood, knowing now the truth about their cause. Just like their founders, they would plunge the world into chaos just to save their own souls. They were no better than the cowardly Vincent Dorrin. He no longer wanted to be associated with such an order.

"Answer me, God!" he cried out. "Give me a reason to believe that Satan was lying! Give me a reason to believe that you really do love me! Prove to me that you haven't abandoned me as he said!"

Once again there was nothing.

Gabriel hung his head. Perhaps Satan was right. Why else would God see to take everything that he ever loved, leaving him all alone in a cruel world to be manipulated by the will of mankind? His whole life he had been taught that God would never abandon him, that he loved mankind and that it was not good for man to be alone. His current situation seemed to contradict all those statements.

Letting the darkness in his mind take ahold, he stepped to the very edge of the cliff, ready to step over the edge and plunge to his death. If it was true that God didn't care about him, then he couldn't see any reason to keep on living for his sake.

However, just as he was about to take the step over, he was stopped by a familiar voice entering his mind. "_Gabriel…"_

He would know that voice anywhere. The memory of its owner was ingrained in his mind. It was Laura, the vampire child who had spared his life back in Carmilla's Castle. It seemed that a creature like her had more compassion on him than God himself did.

"_Hear me, Gabriel!"_ Laura called to him. "_I need your help! I-I am afraid …"_

Gabriel did not move a muscle, contemplating the decision before him. He was sorely tempted to just ignore her call and plunge to his death regardless, but at the same time, what was left of his damaged humanity would not allow him to do so. His mind filled with guilt at the thought of denying her request, especially after the mercy she had shown him.

"_It's not safe for me here anymore. I have no one else to turn to. Gabriel, you must help me!"_ she pleaded.

With that final plea, his mind was made up. He took a step back from the edge. Killing himself would have to wait. He could not deny her, for he too had no one else to turn to. It seemed a bit ironic to think that his only true friend, in the end, was a vampire, but it didn't bother him. At least she had never hidden her true intentions from him as Zobek had.

Grabbing the Vampire Killer, he sent the hook flying up to the mountainside above him. Once it was securely grappled, he swung off the cliff and began his climb out of the Land of the Necromancers. As much as he didn't like the idea of returning to the vampire's territory, he had a debt to pay, and he knew that he would not be able to die in peace before it was paid.


	23. Day 23 - Ancestor

\- The Year 2103 -

Victor had heard many things about the infamous Dracula in his lifetime. The first piece of information he had learned about him came from his father at the age of ten, as he passed down the age-old family secret: Dracula was his ancestor. He had heard of all the lives he had taken, and of his eternal war with the Brotherhood. It was only natural that he came to see the man exactly as his predecessors had, as a monster, an abomination upon the earth.

However, as he laid flat on his back against the hard cavern floor, Dracula's sword hovering over his chest, he witnessed something in the so-called '_monster'_ that no one had ever told him of. At the sound of a crying baby, Dracula's focus shifted from him to that of a young woman with a newborn baby that happened to be passing nearby. The vampire's gaze softened at the sight of them as he vanquished his sword, taking a step back to let him up.

Dracula had a weakness … The monster whom Victor had believed to be without a heart, had a soft spot for families … It was at that moment that he began to see his ancestor in a different light. He was not completely a monster as his father had claimed. No, there was still a piece of humanity left in him, be it tiny and difficult to spot at times. Dracula was not heartless after all.

Victor got to his feet without delay, astonished that Dracula had spared him. They stood there facing each other for a while, and he thought he spotted a look of recognition on the vampire's face.

He nodded his head to answer the question he failed to ask. "I am Victor, Victor Belmont … Commander of the Brotherhood of Light … Protector of humanity ... and the last of my illustrious bloodline."

Dracula simply stared at him, not saying a word.

"We thought you dead," Victor stated.

"I'm immortal, warrior," he replied. "Something you Belmonts don't seem to understand."

Dracula turned away from him, gazing out at the crowd of people gathered below, huddling together around the fire for warmth. The air filled with the cries of babies and young children wanting to return to their homes, while their parents tried to comfort them. Once again, his gaze was softened at the sight.

"We are hiding people here who haven't already been infected, " Victor explained. "I don't know how much longer we can hang on."

"Not long."

Then the vampire did something that surprised Victor even more. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a vial of sorts and tossed it to him. Catching it with ease, he eyed the vial with confusion only briefly before directing his confusion towards the vampire.

"It's an antidote to the infection," Dracula claimed, turning to take his leave.

"Wait!" he called after him. "Whose side are you on?"

The vampire's turned back to face him, his expression unreadable. "I stand alone."

A part of him knew that he would never fully understand his ancestor, and that was fine with him, but he got the feeling that he knew the vampire, or rather the man behind the vampire, better than most of his predecessors. Though, they probably hadn't even attempted to get to know him. And if they had been told the same things he had been told, then he couldn't exactly blame them.

He did not understand why his vampiric ancestor had helped him, sparing his life as well, but the fact remained that a debt was owed, and he had an idea of how he could repay it.

"You helped me. Maybe I can help you," Victor claimed. "You're looking for the Acolytes, are you not?"

"You know where they are?" Dracula started to step towards him.

"Not exactly, but I do know how we can flush them out."

With that, Victor started past him, motioning for him to follow. There was only one way to flush out the Acolytes, and he knew that the price to pay would be the loss of his life. He was prepared to make that sacrifice.

In a way, you could say that he was tired of living. His life had not been an easy one, devoting every moment to protecting humanity from the clutches of Satan. He had no surviving family members to return to, nor did he have any hope of ever starting a family of his own. He had received too many battle scars to attract a woman, and he was getting a bit too old to have children.

He had nothing left to keep him on this earth. His time had come, he knew it in his heart. And if he could play a part in saving the world by this sacrifice, then it would be worth it.


	24. Day 24 - Missing

\- The Year 2103 -

"Have you managed to find any trace of him?" Marie asked, running up to her husband, trying to catch her breath.

Dracul shook his head. "I am unable to sense his presence, which tells me he's not in the cathedral. I've spoken to all the servants and no one has seen him since last night."

Marie broke out sobbing as she flung herself into her husband's arms, staining his shirt with her tears. "Oh, Gabriel, what if something has happened to him?" she asked. "He was already stolen from me once, I can't bear the thought of losing him again!"

Dracul held her, stroking her back in soothing circles. "Don't worry, my love. I will find him, even if I have to rip the whole city apart to do so."

The day had started normally. Dracul and Marie had awoken late in the evening and headed straight into the dining room for breakfast, expecting Alucard to be there. When he failed to show up, they began to grow suspicious. Alucard never missed a family breakfast. Believing him to still be asleep, they then went to his room but found that he wasn't there either.

Alucard was not the type to simply run off without telling anyone, especially without his beloved weapon, the Crissaegrim, as they noticed that it had been left behind, stashed away in his closet where he always kept it. They began to panic. Something must have happened while they slept.

The first conclusion that came to Dracul's mind was that the remains of the brotherhood had broken in during the day and stolen him, but it didn't take long to prove the conclusion false. No unfamiliar scents were hanging in the air. Whatever had happened, humans were not involved.

Pulling away from the embrace, Marie took his face in her hands, pulling it down level with hers. "Promise me that you will both come back. I don't want anything to happen to you either!"

"I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to ensure that we both return safely," he vowed. "You are not the only one afraid of losing him."

With a quick kiss, Dracul was off.

Traveling by form of mist, he slipped through the door and into the busy city streets, keeping his senses on alert for the slightest hint of Alucard's presence. Rising high above the city, he spent hours scouring every inch of it, but to no avail. It was almost as though his son had dropped off the face of the earth.

He racked his brain, trying to come up with ideas as to where his son would go outside of the city. Unfortunately, he wasn't familiar with the world outside the city, especially not with all of the changes that had been made over the past thousand years. However, he did have one idea.

Alucard rarely ever spoke of the five-hundred-years he spent on his own, but he did mention once that his son, Simon, had made his home in the forest not too far from the city.

Dracul had a hunch that if his son was anywhere to be found, it would be there.

Leaving the cityscape behind, he dove into the forest, winding in and out among the trees. He didn't know the precise location of Simon's old house, but he figured it wouldn't be too difficult to find. In his opinion, searching through a forest was a lot easier than searching through a city. He didn't like the city that much, as it too noisy and bothersome. The thought of moving out into the forest again had crossed his mind, but he didn't know how well that would work out. Above all, he wanted to keep his family safe, and so far the cathedral had provided that.

After a while, he finally picked up Alucard's scent and was able to close in on it. He found his son near an old cabin, though it looked like it was about to fall apart at the slightest gust of wind, lying on the ground before an ancient set of graves in his wolf form.

"There you are, Alucard," he said, transforming back into his natural form and walking up beside the giant white wolf. "Your mother and I were worried about you."

The only reply he received was a small whimper.

With a sigh, he knelt beside his son, stroking a hand through his fur. "Is there a reason you vanished on us, son?"

With a piercing howl, Alucard shifted back to his natural form as well, sitting up straight. He did not speak at first. He just kept staring at the grave of his late son. A bouquet had been placed atop of it and seemed to be fresh, indicating that Alucard had placed it there.

"I'm sorry for frightening you and mother, but I couldn't sleep," he began to explain. "Simon died that day, and it has always haunted me that both he and Sypha died while I was asleep. I couldn't save them."

A feeling of pity and sorrow washed over Dracul. He understood how his son felt all too well. Both Marie and Claudia had died as a result of his weariness, allowing Zobek to take control of him while he slept. He had been unable to save them either.

"You're fears are not unfounded. I lost your mother once, and I fear that one day I shall lose her again. After all, she cannot live forever."

"I fear that too … But more than anything, I fear what will become of you when that happens."

"What do you mean?" Dracul asked.

Alucard looked away, unable to meet his father's gaze. "I fear that you will return to your old ways once mother is gone, forcing me to fight against you to protect humanity from your wrath once again."

Dracul was a bit surprised to hear this. He considered it. For some reason, he had a feeling that he would not go down that path again. Yes, he would miss Marie, but at least he would know that God had enough compassion for him to give his beloved back, even if only temporarily.

"Though the memories still haunt me, I have made peace with the past," he said. "I no longer have reason to unleash my fury on the world. When the time comes for your mother to return to heaven, I know that I will not be alone, because I will still have you; the greatest gift ever given to me."

Alucard gave him a brief smile before getting to his feet, glancing at his son's grave one last time, saying a silent final farewell. Then, he turned back towards his father, extending a hand to help him up. "I suppose we should return before mother dies of worry."

Dracul nodded and took his hand. "Let's go home."


	25. Day 25 - Request

\- The Year 2104 -

"Trevor, could I request something of you?"

Glancing up from his book, Alucard found his mother standing before him. He immediately picked up on the fact that something was bothering her. For starters, she was looking down at her feet, shuffling awkwardly. His mother rarely ever acted this way, especially not around him. She always looked at him directly in the face, a bright smile on her face.

"Of course, mother," he told her. "What can I do for you?"

She didn't answer at first, increasing his curiosity. He didn't understand why she was so hesitant to request something of him. Surely she knew that he would gladly go to the end of the world and back for her. After all, she was his mother. He had always held a deep respect for mothers and how they loved their children so much that they were willing to endure unspeakable pain to give them life.

"Would you let me cuddle you in my arms?" she asked in little more than a whisper. Had it not been for his vampiric sense of hearing, he probably wouldn't have heard her.

He was slightly taken aback by this specific request, not knowing how to reply. He could honestly say that no one had ever asked to cuddle him. Sypha had never seen the need to ask for cuddles or any type of affection, and he didn't see why his mother would need to either.

"I have no objections to the idea, but why would you ask for permission to do so?" He inquired. "It is a mother's right to cuddle her child as she wishes."

Marie looked up from her feet. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it. The last time I cuddled you was when you were a baby, and now you're a grown man. I feared you might be too old for cuddling."

Alucard chuckled, amused by her admission. It was humorous, yet at the same time understandable. Many years of watching him grow had been stolen from her. They were all struggling in their own ways as they got used to living as a family, but the important thing was that they were making progress.

"I will never be too old to receive affection from my mother, and that's saying a lot considering how old I am."

Gracing him with one of her smiles, she sat down next to him on the couch, wrapping her arms around him, which she found a bit difficult to do as he was a tall, strapping young man. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she sighed with contentment. It wasn't the same as being able to actually hold him in her arms when he was a baby, but it was good enough for her. He would always be her baby boy.

After a while, Alucard noticed that his mother was shivering a bit. Afraid that he was making her shiver with his icy cold skin, he quickly grabbed the blanket that hung over the back of the couch, pulling it over her and tucking it in-between the two of them.

"You're so considerate, Trevor," Marie remarked. "Just like your father."

Alucard let out a small chuckle at that. It was rather strange to imagine his father as considerate. Even though he had given up the grudge he held against mankind, he was still far from being an all-over kind and considerate man. He probably never would be.

"He's only considerate of you, mother."

"He's considerate of you too," she insisted. "You do not give your father enough credit. He can be considerate of others as well."

"I suppose it's because I never got to see what he was like before he became Dracul."

"Well then, perhaps I ought to tell you stories."

And so she did. Alucard listened intently as she told him all about their youth, relaying stories that made his father sound like a completely different person. She told stories of how he used to take over the chores of his fellow squires when they were ill or injured. She told of how he used to rescue an old lady's cat out of a tree. Through these stories, Alucard was presented with a side of his father he had only caught rare glimpses of.

"That side of your father is still inside of him, he simply refuses to show it to those he doesn't trust," she claimed.

Alucard nodded his head in understanding. He couldn't entirely blame his father for that. After all, he had been betrayed so many times. Something like that was bound to affect anyone.

Settling into an easy silence once more, they continued to cuddle for a while longer.

Eventually, Dracul entered the room. Seeing the two of them curled up on the couch together, he couldn't help but smile as he approached. "What is this? Can it be that my wife is hogging our son's affection all for herself?" he teased.

"Yes, that is exactly what I am doing," Marie smirked. "He is all mine."

"We'll see about that," he challenged. Sitting down on the other side of Alucard, he too wrapped his arms around him, joining in on the cuddles.

If Alucard thought that it was awkward being hugged by his mother, who was much tinier than him, he was mistaken. It felt much more awkward being hugged by his father. However, he kept his mouth shut, much too amused by his parents' actions to be bothered.

"And to think that father and I are some of the most feared creatures in the world," Alucard muttered to himself, squished between his mother and father. "If only mankind could see us now."


	26. Day 26 - Oath

\- The Year of our Lord 1065 -

One of the proudest days of Trevor Belmont's young life was the day he became a full-fledged knight in the Order of the Brotherhood of Light. To him, it was like a dream come true, having dreamt of being a knight for as long as he could remember. After years of waiting and training hard in preparation, his day had come at last.

Dressed in a white and red tunic, he entered the church at daybreak, passing many familiar faces as he began his trek up the aisle. Among the faces were many older warriors, most of which had been friends of his mother and father at one point, or so he was told. The fact that they had come to support him on his day of honor made him happy.

However, the presence that made him the happiest was Sypha, who also stood among the crowd, smiling from ear to ear as she watched him pass. The only thing that could have made it even better was if his parents were alive to share this special day with him. Though he wished they were with him, he chose to be content with what he had. Besides, he was certain they were watching him from heaven's gates.

Coming to a halt before the altar, he nodded his head to Cardinal Volpe and Cardinal Vicus, who stood on either side of him, bending the knee as was customary. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the shiny combat cross that had been placed nearby. He eyed them with awe. Soon they would be his.

Hobbling over to the altar, Cardinal Volpe picked up the scroll set upon it and turned to face the congregation. "Let it be known to all men, that I, Cardinal Volpe of Wallachia, am minded to raise Trevor Belmont by virtue of his honor, loyalty, valor, and skill at arms, to the rank of knighthood," he began to read in a loud voice.

There was a brief pause as Cardinal Volpe turned to face Trevor.

"Trevor Belmont, do you swear to serve God, carrying out his will and protecting his children from the spawns of evil?"

Trevor nodded his head, "I do so swear."

"And do you swear fealty to the Brotherhood of Light, to defend our cause and uphold our morals until your life on this earth draws to an end?"

"I so swear."

Closing the scroll and setting it back down on the altar, Cardinal Volpe returned to the side just as Cardinal Vicus stepped forward to replace him.

"Let this be the last blow you receive from me," Vicus stated as he stepped up to him.

Trevor gritted his teeth as he felt the sting of his superior's hand slapping him across the face. He was certain that it was going to leave a mark. It hurt, that much he could not deny, but he forced himself to grin and bear it. Many times Cardinal Vicus had slapped him in his youth as punishment whenever he was disobedient or simply lazy. It was an important part of the ceremony, signaling that he was no longer a boy under his authority, but now a man of his own right.

Once he recovered from the slap, it was time to swear the finale oath. Holding his head up nice and tall, he began to recite, "I, Trevor Belmont, son of Gabriel and Marie Belmont, do pledge my sword to serve God and the Brotherhood of Light upon pain of death, and fleeing from temptation, devote myself as a force for good."

Cardinal Vicus retreated, allowing Cardinal Volpe to take his place. With the combat cross Trevor had seen earlier, Volpe tapped the young man on both shoulders before motioning for him to rise. "It is my honor to name you, Sir Trevor Belmont, knight of the Brotherhood."

The church erupted with cheers as the congregation rose with the new knight. Many came forward to congratulate Trevor, and though he did his part by receiving them with gratitude. As soon as he was able to, he took the opportunity to slip out of the church to find the person who mattered most to him.

Wrapping his arms around his sweet Sypha, he spun her around a couple of times before releasing her. "Can you believe it, Sypha?" he asked with an irrepressible smile. "I'm finally a knight!"

Sypha giggled. "I always knew you could do it. Your skill in combat is next to none."

Trevor made no reply to that claim, unsure of whether it was true. Many people had told him that his skill was legendary, just like his father. That was one of the only things he had ever been told of his late father. Part of the reason he had always wanted to become a knight was that he knew his father had been one. It had always been his hope to follow in his father's footsteps, and now he finally had.

"I hope I've made you proud, Father," he whispered, glancing up at the sky.


	27. Day 27 - Scars

\- The Year of our Lord 1105 -

Simon had a lot of scars. That was one of the first things Selena noticed when she met him. Yet, what she had seen then was only a fraction of his scars. It was not until their first night together that he revealed himself and with it every scar on his body. They were everywhere … down his arms and legs … crisscrossed across his entire chest. There were even marks on his throat, indicating that someone or something had tried to strangle him at one time.

As the two of them laid in bed inside their newly built home, she couldn't help but stare at all the scars her husband bore, tracing over them with her fingers. The sight of them made her sad as she imagined the pain and suffering each had brought to him. Just thinking about all those years he had spent fighting for his survival brought tears to her eyes.

"Don't cry, Selena," Simon said, wiping the tears with his calloused fingers. "You know I hate it when you cry."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "All these hormones make me cry at the slightest of upset."

It was true. Well into her pregnancy, she was an emotional wreck. Just the other day, she had burst out crying simply because she couldn't see her feet, which she hadn't been able to see in months. They made her feel downright ridiculous, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. Fortunately, her husband had been patient with her, trying to help her as best he could, even though he was a bit awkward about it.

"Does it have something to do with my scars?" he asked, stroking a hand gently across her belly as he often did as a way of calming both her and the baby. "I noticed you staring at them again."

She nodded her head. "Don't they bother you? Surely they hold many bad memories?"

"Sure, they hold some unpleasant memories, but I like to think of them as proof that I survived," he explained. "Besides, the memories they hold are certainly not as bad as those of my father."

Selena was surprised to hear him mention his father. She knew all about his family history, including the grim fate of both his father and grandfather. He didn't mention either of them often, but she could tell that he often thought of them. Her husband was not a man to become lost in thought, so when he did, she knew that it was because he was thinking of his father.

"I suppose you're right," she agreed. "Do you think you'll ever see him again?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea. The last I saw of him was as he flew off into the night as a bat. Though, the fact that he refused to tell me who he was, even after I had asked it of him repeatedly, makes me believe that I won't."

Though a hardened warrior, Simon was still a child at heart. The love and respect he held towards his father remained, despite knowing that his father was now a blood-sucking creature of the night. He could be stubborn and reckless at times, but there was no denying that Simon was a good man. The fact that he had fallen in love with and married her despite her supposedly cursed reputation was further proof of that.

An idea popped into her mind. "Have we managed to come up with any possible boy names yet?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Perhaps we could name the baby after your father if it's a boy," she suggested.

Simon went silent for a period, indicating that he was thinking of his father again.

"It is a good idea, and I appreciate you wanting to honor him in such a way, but I don't think he would want his grandchild to be named after him or anyone else for that matter."

She nodded in understanding. In a way, he had a point. She had heard old folklore about how a person's name could sometimes determine their fate. While she wasn't sure if it was true, she most certainly didn't want her child to share the same fate as his or her grandfather. That was a fate she wouldn't wish on anyone.

"You're right, our son or daughter deserves a name of his own."

"What about Christopher?" Simon suggested.

She pondered it for a moment. As far as she was aware, she didn't know anyone by that name, and neither did Simon. It's meaning didn't imply a tragic fate in the slightest. It seemed to be a safe name

"I suppose that could work."

Just then, the baby gave a strong kick, as if it too was agreeing on the name. Simon and Selena looked at each other and laughed. It was decided.

"Christopher it is, then."


	28. Day 28 - Dhampir (AU)

_Hello everyone, and thank you for reading this far! I am nearly done the challenge, which is good. So, today's prompt is Dhampir because I was kinda sad that Alucard wasn't a Dhampir in this game. I wanted to add one and I wanted Alucard to have some happiness, so yeah..._

_Also, I'd like to address some corrections I have been hearing. Yes, I understand that some certain things might not have been around back in this time period, but need I remind you that I am not perfect. I did this writing challenge for fun. Also, this is a game. It isn't real life. Who's to say what they did know and didn't know? I don't mind if you point out if I accidentally typed in the wrong day or something, that's fine and appreciated. Just realize that I'm human and that Castlevania is not real life ... Anyway, forgive me for that rant ... Had to get that off my chest ... Onto the next story!_

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\- The Year of our Lord 1162 -

When Alucard awoke as a vampire, he never once thought he would find love or happiness again, especially after hearing that Sypha was dead. Yet, fate seemed to have a knack for proving him wrong, and he couldn't say that he was upset about it. At least, not this time. No, this time fate had given him a second chance, not at revenge but happiness.

Though he was still a vampire, he found himself living in a quaint little cottage on the edge of a remote village with, Freya, now his wife, along with the son that she had borne him. The villagers paid absolutely no attention to them, as Alucard made himself scarce, only appearing before their eyes while hidden under a large thick cloak that helped block out the sun. Life was good.

It was late at night, and Alucard was sitting in the living room by the warmth of the fireplace, deep in thought, when he heard the creaking of floorboards, followed by the pitter-patter of small feet. Turning in his chair, he found his six-year-old son, Eric, walking towards him, dragging the blanket from his bed along with him.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" Alucard asked the boy. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't feel sleepy at all. Besides, I'd rather spend time with you."

Without hesitation, the boy crossed the remaining distance between them and climbed onto his father's lap. Alucard could only smile as he watched his boy cuddle into him. It still shocked him at times to think that he had fathered a child even as a vampire. He hadn't thought it possible, yet here he was.

Eric was technically what some called a dhampir, a child who was half-human and half-vampire. He was most certainly a vampire when it came to sleep patterns, but he didn't look at all like a vampire. He looked completely human, except for his golden-yellow eyes that appeared to glow only in darkened lighting. Those eyes were the only proof of what he was.

"And what do you suppose we should do while everyone else is asleep?" Alucard asked, wrapping his arms around his son and holding him close.

"You could tell me some more of your fascinating stories," Eric suggested with a cheeky grin.

Alucard chuckled. He should have guessed that was the case. "What kind of story do you want me to tell?"

Alucard had chosen to be honest with his son since day one, not withholding any information from him when he asked questions about who he was and what they were. Of course, some questions had yet to be asked, questions that he dreaded, but still he had every intention of answering. Whatever he wanted to hear about, he would tell.

"I want to hear more about my big brother and what he was like."

His heart ached at the thought of his firstborn. He never realized just how much he missed being a father until Eric was born. It was only as he watched his younger son grow that he realized just how short his time as a father with Simon had been. He had missed out on so many years of his firstborns life. He vowed that this time would be different. This time, he would be there to watch his son grow from a child to a full-grown man.

"Well, I've already told you about what he was like as a child, so I suppose all that's left is to tell you what he was like later in life."

He contemplated how to describe his older son. Meanwhile, his younger son watched him, his eyes glowing with anticipation. Even though the two brothers had never met, and most likely never would, Eric was fond of him regardless, or rather what he had heard of him.

"Simon grew into a fine man. He was a bit reckless at times and hot-headed, but still," Alucard began to explain. "He was brave and strong, possibly even stronger than me."

"That isn't possible. No one is stronger than you, Papa."

It warmed his heart to hear his son say that. "Unfortunately, that's not true," he said. "Dracula was much stronger than me. The fact that I am a vampire is proof of that."

Eric gave him a curious look. "Who is this Dracula? I've heard you and mother speak of him before, but I don't know who he is."

Alucard let out a sigh. He knew this day would come. This was one of the dreaded questions. There was no easy way of answering it, but he stuck by his decision to be honest with him. He only hoped that his son wouldn't be repulsed by the knowledge as Simon's son was.

"Dracula is a powerful vampire who has done many terrible things. He is the monster that both Simon and I fought against. He is the one who turned me into a vampire … and he is my father."

Much to his relief, Eric showed no visible signs of disgust or anger. His golden eyes widened a bit at first, but not for long.

"You do not love your papa?"

Alucard felt as though he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. The truth was simple enough. He didn't love his father. How could he, after everything he had done to him? But he didn't exactly feel good about admitting that to his son.

"I wish that I was able to love him," he claimed. "As a child, I always wished for a father to love, but that wish died when I found out who he truly was."

Oddly enough, Eric's eyes seemed to sadden. "But what if grandpa does bad things because he wants to be loved?"

The words of this small boy struck something deep within Alucard. "I never thought of it like that."

It seemed kind of unlikely, especially considering his father's actions, but deep down he had a feeling it was a possibility. It wasn't as if he had ever asked his father how he felt. He had been a bit too busy trying to defeat him. The more he thought about it, the more guilty he began to feel.

"That's okay," Eric gave him a big smile. "You can ask him the next time you see him."

Overwhelmed by emotion, Alucard hugged his son tightly to his chest, burying his face into his curly dark hair. It was becoming more and more clear that the boy had inherited his mother's kindness and compassion. They both strove to see the best in people, a trait that had opened his eyes on more than one occasion.


	29. Day 29 - Revelation

\- The Year of our Lord 1103 -

Simon watched the retreating figure of the mysterious white-haired vampire who had aided him. There was something familiar about him. It was almost as if he knew him from somewhere, but couldn't recall where. The vampire, Alucard, certainly seemed to know him. His actions indicated as much. Not only had he stepped in front of him, begging his father to leave him out of the battle, but he had refused to so much as strike him while he was under Dracula's manipulation.

Once Alucard was gone from sight and both the Spirit of Belnades and Schneider had gone, Simon found himself all alone again. He glanced around the throne room. Dracula was defeated, even if just for now … His sole purpose in life was fulfilled, leaving him at a loss for where to go from there. In the end, it was a hollow victory. He may have won, but the fact remained that he was still alone. He didn't know how he was expecting to feel. After all, it wasn't like Dracula's death could bring his parents back to life.

Hanging his head, he started out of the room but stopped as he found himself face to face with the lost soul again.

"What do you want?" Simon asked. He had given the creature the only thing he had left to remember his father. Surely there was nothing more it could demand of him.

The lost soul held up its hand, and in it was very mirror shard he had just given him not even ten minutes ago.

This confused Simon. "Are you giving it back to me?"

The lost soul shook his head.

"Is there something you wish to show me with it?"

The lost soul nodded. With a motion of his skeletal like hand, the tiny mirror began to glow.

Simon focused his attention on the mirror, unsure of what it was that the creature possibly wanted him to see. Hadn't he seen all that he needed to see? He found his father's old combat cross and defeated Dracula. What more was there for him to do? He was soon to find out.

Within the mirror, he saw none other than the white-haired vampire, still in the castle with the Spirit of Belnades. Tears of blood were dripping down his pale face as the female spirit ascended into a beam of light. He caught only a snippet of their conversation, but it was enough for him to realize why the lost soul was showing him what he was.

In a voice that still haunted him to that very day, the spirit spoke her final words to the vampire. "I love you, Trevor Belmont. Never forget that," she said.

The rest fell on deaf ears as Simon's brain was too busy trying to process the sudden revelation.

The lost soul had shown him not only who his white-haired companion was, but also who the Spirit of Belnades was … They were his parents … All this time, he had thought them dead, and yet they had been fighting side by side with him. He could hardly believe it. Surprisingly enough, he had no trouble believing that his mother was the spirit that had been trapped inside that crystal. The thing that he had trouble believing was the fact that the vampire who called himself Alucard was actually his father.

While he had not seen his father die with his own eyes, he had always believed him to have died at Dracula's hands. After all, he never returned. It didn't make sense.

"I need to see more," Simon demanded. "Show me what happened the night of my father's death!"

This time, the lost soul didn't hesitate to show him what he wanted. However, what he saw was not at all what he was expecting.

An image of his father appeared within the mirror, showing him as he lay dying, his bright blue eyes that had once held so much love and kindness were slowly closing. The powerful vampire that Simon had just defeated, Dracula himself, was holding his father, weeping over him.

"Live ... my son…" he heard Dracul say between sobs.

His son? Hearing those two words was all it took to prove that his father and the white-haired vampire who had aided him were the same person. He knew what was going to happen next without having to watch it. He had heard that part of the story from the vampire father and son duo themselves. Dracula turned his son to save him from death, and Alucard regretted him doing so.

His brain felt like it was going to explode with all the thoughts swirling around inside. His thoughts were a mess, but one piece of information was clear in the midst of everything. If what he saw was true, and he had no doubt now that it was, then that meant that his father wasn't dead, or at least not entirely. His father was alive.

Without stopping to think, he broke out into a run, leaving the lost soul behind as he ran out of the throne room and down the hall, hoping that his father was still in the castle somewhere. He looked throughout the castle, retracing his steps to all the rooms he had passed through previously. He even returned to the places where he had encountered him such as the theatre and the obstacle course of doom, but his father was nowhere to be found.

Eventually, he gave up, having searched every inch of the castle that was known to him. With a heavy heart, he left the castle behind, beating himself up as he went. Why couldn't the lost soul have shown him his father's fate when it first appeared? So many times he had asked the stupid creature to show him who Alucard was, and every time he had refused? Had he been purposefully trying to prevent him from finding out that his father was still alive after all these years?

Just then, as he stood on the edge of a cliff, he felt the ground began to shake. Turning abruptly, he saw the castle behind him begin to crumble. Without its master on the throne, it seemed the castle was unable to stand. He had a feeling deep within himself that the castle would be restored one day … What Alucard had said, or rather what his father had said, played on his mind. Dracula wasn't truly dead. He would return.

He was about to turn and leave again when something caught his eye. Flying out of the collapsing castle was a bat. It was too far away to see clearly, but somehow Simon knew that it was his father. He was momentarily tempted to chase after him but soon realized that it was no use. There was no way that he could catch a bat flying hundreds of feet above his head. He forced himself to give up. It seemed that such a reunion was not meant to be.

"Farewell," he bid his father as he watched the bat disappear, clinging to the tiny hope that he might have at least heard him.


	30. Day 30 - Secret (AU)

\- The Year of our Lord 1155 -

Freya Lecarde had never been good at keeping secrets. It was her greatest weakness. She did not like hiding things from people, especially from people she cared about. There was no one she cared about more than Alucard. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as her husband sat at the dining table behind her, attempting to drink a tankard of ale, attempting being the keyword.

After no more than one sip, the white-haired vampire pulled a face and pushed it away from him. "This is disgusting," he claimed. "To think that I once enjoyed such a drink."

Freya let out a small giggle. He was trying his hardest to live as a human, even though he wasn't one. He was able to pass as one by casting a glamor upon himself, assuming the appearance of what she supposed he looked like back when he truly was human. It was a skill he had discovered only recently, which came in handy. Unfortunately, it could not hide the fact that sunlight was harmful to him and human food repulsed him.

"Perhaps you could try mixing a bit of monster blood into it," she suggested. "That might make it more bearable for you."

He sighed. "It could be worth a try."

Returning her focus to the stove before her where she was currently cooking dinner, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. She knew that she shouldn't be keeping secrets from the man she loved, especially one that was this important. It wasn't that she hadn't tried to tell him. She had tried many times over the last couple weeks to get up the nerve to tell him, but she could never find the words to do so.

"Freya, watch out!"

As she became so wrapped up in her thoughts, she failed to notice that the stew had started to boil over. The realization only dawned on her as she felt boiling liquid trickling over on her hand. Letting out a startled yelp, she hastily snatched her hand away from the pot.

In a flash, Alucard was by her side, removing the pot from the stove before turning to her and taking her hand in his. Seeing that a burn mark was already starting to form, he pressed his ice-cold hands against it. When he removed them a few minutes later, the burn mark was nowhere to be found, and most importantly, her hand didn't hurt.

"You see, being a vampire does come in handy sometimes," she tried to ease the tension.

"What is going on, Freya," Alucard asked, concern etched across his face. "You've been acting strangely lately. Something is bothering you."

A knot formed in her throat, but she chose to ignore it. "I-It's nothing … truly…"

She started to back away but stopped as Alucard reached out and grabbed her by the waist. She knew that she couldn't hide the secret from him any longer, especially when she saw his eyes widen dramatically as he gazed down at her stomach. Surely his vampiric ears had heard the small heartbeat coming from within.

"I must be dreaming … it's not possible," he muttered.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as best she could before speaking. "Believe me, I didn't think it possible either. I mean, it doesn't make sense. You're a vampire and I'm human. It shouldn't be possible, but it is … I'm with child."

The white-haired vampire was silent for a long time. Freya could only stand there and wait for him to find his tongue again.

"How long have you known?"

"A couple of weeks."

His eyes softened. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know how to tell you, and I wasn't sure how you'd react."

Taking her by surprise, he pulled her against him, claiming her lips in a brief yet passionate kiss.

"You should never be afraid to tell me anything, even if it does seem impossible," he told her. "As for my reaction, while I am a bit confused as well as worried about your well being, this unexpected news does make me happy. I am going to be a father again."

"I'm sorry for hiding it from you, I just thought you might not want another child after all the tragedies that have befallen your family."

He smiled sadly at the mention of them. "Indeed, I would never wish to condemn another innocent life to such a fate as that of the Belmonts, but I swear to you I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. This child will grow up to live a happy life, free from the curse of the Belmonts."

Hearing those words, she could only smile as she embraced him. She didn't need to hear any more reassurance. Knowing what she did of his past, she believed that he would do anything to ensure the safety and happiness of their child.


	31. Day 31 - Crush

_So, we finally made it to the 31st! Yippee! I didn't exactly expect to make it this far when I first started out, but I did it! _

_Anyway, this last prompt is 'Crush' and for some reason I had this idea pop into my head about Medusa having a bit of a crush on Alucard. Now, before you start reading, I want you to know that I wrote this with knowledge of the Original Gorgons backstory from Greek Mythology. I know now that they had a bit of a different story in LoS, but I always liked the Gorgons in Greek Mythology so ... Yeah, hope no one is too upset about that ..._

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\- The Year 2104 -

Medusa loved her position as the cathedral's librarian. It was a job that suited her well. As a human, she had always had a penchant for learning. That was why she had originally gone to the shrine of Athena. She devoured scroll after scroll, soaking up all the knowledge she could. Unfortunately, that place had ended up being her downfall. Brief images of that fateful day threatened to resurface in her mind, but she pushed them back. Those days were long gone.

Despite that one bad experience, she still retained her love for learning and so a library was the perfect place for her. Knowledge was far more advanced than it was in ancient times, particularly in terms of writing. Humans had found a way to turn their writings into books and send them all over the world for others to enjoy. It thrilled her every time she discovered a new book, knowing that it contained another piece of knowledge she did not possess before.

However, there was another reason she enjoyed her role as a librarian. Hidden behind tall stacks of books, she was able to discreetly watch her favorite patron. Out of everyone in the entire household, Alucard was probably the one who made use of the library most often. He was clearly someone who treasured knowledge as she did.

She had kept it secret deep within herself, but the truth was that she quite fancied the fair-haired vampire. The humans had a different word for it. They called it a '_crush'_. The word suited the feeling perfectly in her mind, for the feelings she had for him felt like they were crushing her heart.

Typically, Medusa avoided romance and attractive men in general like the plague, seeing where it had gotten her to begin with, but with Alucard, she simply couldn't help herself. She remembered the moment she first laid eyes on him. He had come to her part of the castle with his mother, having retrieved the stolen chaos power. With a gentleness that she had never seen before in any man, he reached out and placed the power in her hands, smiling up at her as he did so.

Alucard was more of a man than any other she had met before, and probably the first to be safe from the curse placed upon her. After all, he was a monster like her. There was no fear of him turning to stone. Yet, despite this, she knew that it could never be. Not only had she sworn to never give herself to a man, but she feared he did not return the '_crush'_. She could see it in his heart and in his eyes. He was still very much in love with his deceased wife. There was no room for her.

And so, she continued to keep to herself, sneaking the odd peek at him over the piles of books that hid her from sight. However, as she was busy at work arranging the books one day, she received a surprise.

"It never ceases to amaze me how many books you manage to find for us."

At the sound of Alucard's voice so close to her, Medusa let out a startled shriek, the snakes in her hair roaring to life with a hissing fit. Once she had managed to calm herself, as well as her snakes, she slowly turned around to find herself standing face to face with him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I've done it to my mother as well. Apparently, I need to work on making more noise when I move," Alucard apologized.

"Don't worry about it, Master Alucard," she assured him, regaining her composure. "I am known to frighten easily. My sisters often enjoy using it against me."

His gorgeous golden eyes softened. "That's not nice of them. Siblings ought to treat each other better than that."

She nodded her head. "I agree, but they see it differently."

As silence washed over them, Medusa took it as a sign that the conversation had come to an end and began to return to her task of organizing books. Though he didn't say a word, Alucard remained in place, his eyes following her as she twisted around and climbed up various bookshelves to put the books away. She found it a bit curious but didn't question him. He was Master Dracul's son and therefore had the right to do as he pleased in the old cathedral.

"Would you mind terribly if I helped you?"

The question took her by surprise. Not because she was opposed to it, or even because she was uncomfortable with him being so close to her, but rather because no one had ever offered to help her before. She was at a loss for how to reply.

"Why?" was all she managed to get out.

He shrugged, shifting his weight between sides. "I'm used to keeping busy and feel rather useless when I'm just sitting around," he explained. "I like to feel that I'm contributing."

She considered it. Having an extra pair of hands would certainly help, especially when those hands also came with the ability to levitate into mid-air.

"Alright, just as long as you don't get in my way."

She felt like slapping herself. No sooner had those words left her mouth then she regretted them. Once again, she was incapable of saying what she meant.

To her relief, he didn't seem to take any offense. He just smiled at her kindly like he did that first day. "I'll try my best not to."


End file.
